SuperSlayerVille 7: Season Three
by shadowglove
Summary: xover w BtVS. Three years after Chloe was kidnapped by Angelus, Sam has grown strong enough to give the vampire back his soul. Angel is left tormented by what he's put Chloe through, while Chloe is left trying to figure out exactly who and what she is now that so much changed. Buffy must also find her purpose as a Slayer without a Hellmouth to protect. And what is Azazel up to?
1. After The Soul - Part One

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

 **A/N: This series won the which vote on my facebook page as to which old series should be updated next... so here we are.**

* * *

They sat together in front of the fire, eyeing the flames in silence.

"What's the plan now, luv?"

Chloe looked up at Spike, taking in a deep breath as she got up and went to put some more logs in the fire. "We can't stay together anymore, Spike. You know that. I know that." She looked up. "We _both_ know that Dru's already planning Angel's assassination. It's her own misguided way of trying to keep the family together."

Spike nodded, not even pretending to look innocent. "I have half a mind to help her."

" _Spike_ ," Chloe whispered.

"Don't 'Spike' me ducks!" Spike snapped, fluidly rising from the chair with a snarl, face going Vamp immediately. "We had a good thing going on! We were the Big Bad! We were a family! And he goes and ruins everything! _Again_!" He grabbed a log and thew it against the wall. "He keeps getting his bloody soul and leaving us!"

Chloe looked up at him, sensing the resentment and accusation. "He didn't get his soul back on purpose, Spike. You know that."

"Yeah, I know that. Your bleedin' boytoy gave 'Gelus his soddin' soul so he could get you back!" Spike snarled, running a hand over his hair as he turned to face her. "But you're not only _Angel's_ , you're _ours_ too! It isn't fucking fair! Dru's in her room alternating from tearful hysterics to planning her beloved sire's demise! The soul is locked up in his room alternating from participating in deep self-loathing to trying to get you to leave here immediately. I'm not sure how I'm holding it together! And _you_! You should be the happiest person right now! You _wanted_ the bloody soul back! But you're not happy. You're just as torn up about this as the rest of us!"

"Of course I am!" She snapped, standing and facing him. "It's been three years Spike! Three years! I haven't seen my friends or family since I was sixteen! I'm nineteen now! I've changed! I'm more vampire than I am human! I don't even know how much of my soul is still intact after all I've done!" She glare at him, tears filling her eyes. "What am I supposed to do? Everything's different! I'm not the Slayer's best friend and sidekick anymore! I've been living with you, _killing_ with you! I've been the lover of a soulless _serial murderer!_ An insane, psychic, _psychopath_ is like a daughter to me! And _you_! _You_!" Chloe looked up at Spike, tears threatening to blind her as her bottom lip trembled viciously. " _Spike_. You're sadistic and vicious and one of the sickest most obsessive monsters out there...and you're my _best friend_. I couldn't have gotten through _any_ of this without _you_." She stabbed at her eyes with the heels of her palms, sniffling. "And now Angel's back but he's all broken, blaming himself for me having to live like this...and he wants to leave right away...and Dru's crying because she doesn't want me to leave... _what am I supposed to do Spike_? What?" She pulled her hands from her face and looked up pleadingly at him. " _Tell me what to do_."

" _Ducks,_ " Spike whispered, reaching for her and drawing her into his arms, letting her cry into his chest as he rested his chin on the crown of her head. "This has been a bitch on you, I know that. And for the record, you've been my bleedin' best friend too these last couple of years." He held her tighter. "I don't want you to go, luv. You're family."

She clutched at him tighter, closing her eyes tightly. "You two are my family too." Her voice was half muffled by his shirt. "But Angel...he needs me...I can't...he needs to get away from here."

Spike sighed, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. "Best get Kal to take you both now...I can't promise Dru won't do something to the Soul when she senses you both are sleeping. Or me for that matter."

Chloe pulled away slightly and looked up at Spike, tearfully. She reached up and kissed his lips, gripping tightly onto his shirt as he held her her just as tightly, kissing her back with the same degree of sadness. Finally pulling away, Chloe couldn't look him in the eye as she raced away towards room Angel had locked himself into. She entered the bedroom, and paused, seeing Angel by the window. The vampire was looking out at the night sky, agony and misery on his every feature.

He wouldn't even look at her.

He was so ashamed.

"We're leaving now," she whispered.

He tilted his head slightly in her direction and nodded, but wouldn't look at her.

She closed her eyes tightly and wiped at her tears before pulling out her cellular, calling Kal and letting him know what had happened.

In seconds he'd appeared before her, hanging up his phone. "You know, I'm not mass transportation," the Kryptonian let her know in a bored fashion, leaning against the wall, eyeing Angel with a raised eyebrow. "So he's the Soul?"

Chloe nodded.

Kal looked him up and down. "Hey. Angelus."

"My name is _Angel_ ," the vampire snapped, looking up at him with a mixture of anger and agony.

Kal raised that eyebrow higher before turning to Chloe. "I think I liked the demon better."

" _Kal_ ," she pleaded.

"Okay little cousin, I will behave." Kal had taken to calling her that now that he knew that his one and only love, Lucy, was Chloe's younger cousin. Since in Kryptonian law married or mates became one person, he'd taken Lucy's family for his own, and considered Chloe his little sister or cousin, alternately calling her by both titles. "I will take you wherever it is you need me to take you."

" _Thank you_ ," she whispered, telling him where to take them.

And that was how, hours later, Chloe took in a deep breath as she walked up to the door of the small apartment, knocking. She'd left Angel in the hotel room she'd rented, and while Angelus wouldn't have let her out of his sight, Angel only slid onto the bed and looked up at the ceiling in an unseeing way. The memory agonized her and Chloe was forced to admit that between Angelus and this version of her Angel, Chloe preferred the demon. She couldn't stand seeing Angel in so much pain, and blaming himself for everything she'd had to witness and live through these last couple of years.

Especially since she herself had adapted to her new lifestyle and _thrived_.

The door opened to a pretty blonde girl with long curls, green eyes watching her oddly. She was half dressed, wearing only a shirt that was _way_ too small for her, and brief panties.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah." Chloe nodded. She'd once been good with other humans, but she'd spent the last couple of years surrounded by demons, and their attitudes had apparently rubbed off on her. "You can go tell Sam to get his ass out here."

The girl's already wary gaze narrowed and she tightened her grip on the door. "Sam's busy. He's not up to seeing anyone tonight, so if you don't mind you can try contacting him later."

Chloe's hand reached out and stopped the door from banging shut. Her eyes were cold as they glared into the other girl's face. "Tell Sam it's Chloe. And see if he's too tired or busy to see me."

The girl, who must be the girlfriend 'Jessica' that her dad had told Chloe about, looked pissed off but intimidated, and did as told. "Wait here. I won't be long."

She turned and stalked away, disappearing into the apartment.

Chloe didn't bother going in.

She took in a deep breath and turned around, looking up at the sky as she took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

For some reason she was _really_ nervous right about now.

What exactly was she doing here anyway?

 _Sam brought back Angel's soul, that's why_.

She took in another deep breath.

Right.

She needed to...thank him...

Right.

Thank.

Sam had done some powerful magic to give her back the soul he knew she loved, and she needed to...thank him...despite the consequences of his actions.

She had to be grateful.

She _had_ to be.

There was a loud thud inside the house, and Chloe turned around in time to see Sam as he stumbled rapidly, uncoordinatedly, into the doorway. One hand held onto the door so tightly his knuckles were white, the other pressed against the doorframe, and he took up the whole doorway. His blue/green eyes were wide and disbelieving as they seemed to devour her.

"Sam?" Jessica was calling behind him. "Sam! What is _wrong_ with you? Who is she?"

He was in a similar state of undress as his agitated girlfriend, wearing only briefs and socks.

It gave Chloe a surprisingly enticing view of just how well the once tall, lanky and clumsy looking guy had filled out.

"Chloe," Sam whispered, voice breaking.

She managed a small smile. "Hey Sam."

" _Chloe_." And then he was outside, sweeping her in his arms and pulling her close to him, strong and yet gentle, as if worrying he'd hurt her.

"Sam!" Jessica cried in scandal. "You're outside in your underwear! Stop this and get inside now!"

"You're here." He ignored Jessica, lowering Chloe down only so he could have his hands free to cup her face and her body, as if making sure that she was all in one piece. "Are you okay?"

Her smile was more genuine as she nodded. "You know I'm tough as nails."

His hands rose up her shoulders to her neck to cup her face once more, gazing down at her with tenderness.

" _Sam_!" And then Jessica was there, nearly standing between them, giving Chloe her back. "Get a hold of yourself! What's wrong with you? Get inside _now_ before the neighbors call the police on you!"

Chloe nodded, slipping out of Sam's hold. "She's right, you're not dressed for a night out."

"Give me two seconds," he pleaded. "I'll pull on something quickly and then I'm all yours."

"Sam!" Jessica snapped. "We were...in the middle...of something."

Chloe sent a darkly amused look in Jessica direction before giving Sam a little mock salute. "Don't let me interrupt, I just came to let you know that it worked." She walked backwards and away. "But you already knew that." She turned around and began walking away. "Bye Sammy, and thanks."

There.

She'd done it.

" _Sam_!" Jessica screamed in anger, and that was the only warning Chloe got before suddenly she was scooped up from behind and thrown over Sam's shoulder.

"Sam!" Chloe's cry blended with Jessica's as suddenly she felt him pull on the power that connected them to each other, and then they weren't in front of his apartment anymore.

* * *

In her apartment in San Diego, Buffy Summers pulled back a strand of dyed red hair from her face and looked at the number on her cellular. The number she had yet to call. She knew that he wouldn't have changed his number, knew that that just wasn't like him, especially-especially not if he'd been searching for her so relentlessly these last three years.

Something in her heart went wild at the thought of Rupert Giles searching for her so faithfully.

Three years hadn't been enough to remove him from her heart. If anything, the assholes she'd met during these three years had been nothing but proof that she'd met the only decent man left in Sunnydale, and he was British, and awkward, and so utterly amazing and perfect for her.

And she'd left him.

She'd left _everybody_.

And it was something she still couldn't forgive herself for.

Did she really deserve to call him now?

Taking in a deep breath, Buffy pressed Call, and brought the cellular to her ear, hearing the ringtone.

She was about to hang up when it was answered.

"Hello?" Giles asked, voice tired. "Who is this?"

She hesitated, she still contemplated hanging up, but her voice spoke before she could do so. " _Giles_?"

There was a pause, and then... " _Buffy_?" His voice was suddenly urgent. "Buffy! Is that _you_?"

"Yes, it's me," she whispered.

"Please God, tell me this isn't a dream!"

She broke down crying.

* * *

The shadows dispersed, vanishing into thin air, and Chloe found herself hanging upside-down on Sam's shoulder. The blood was rushing to her head, she was dizzy, and about to pinch him when he slowly and carefully lowered her to her feet.

"My head is _killing_ me," she complained before slugging him. "Do you _know_ how dangerous double teleportation is?" She snapped, tilting her head back so she could glare in his face. "Most cases end in part of the person tagging along being left behind!"

He just smiled down at her. "I know."

That just served to anger her further. "Yet you still risked it?"

"Chloe, there wasn't any risk," Sam announced, face going serious. "I wouldn't risk you. You should know that by now."

Her anger melted into uneasy confusion. "I don't...get...what you're trying to say." She frowned. "And since when do you kidnap people anyway?"

She was doing her best to keep her gaze on his face and not...lower.

"Don't you get it?" Sam shook his head. "Chloe, I've been your conduit since we were _sixteen_. Despite the fact that you've been gone for three years...that hasn't changed. You have an _extreme_ connection with the hellmouth and its energies, you don't even have to be near a hellmouth anymore, wherever you are _becomes_ a hellmouth."

She frowned, her silent worries being spoken by the last person she would have thought they'd come from, given the fact that she hadn't seen him in three years and he didn't know of all the things that'd happened to her during that time. "How did you know that?"

"Chloe, I'm _connected_ to you. You _chose_ me as your conduit, even if it was unknowingly, and that makes us extensions of each other." Sam tilted his head to the side as he explained this. "We're a part of each other, and that means that you're safe when teleporting with me. The only one who's safe."

She looked up at him, shocked.

She-she hadn't thought of things that way.

But now...

Wow.

It was like a slap in the face.

"I need to sit down." And it was then that she really looked around her. "Uhm, Sam? Where exactly are we?"

He looked around as well. "I'm not exactly sure." The handsome giant scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I didn't think of anywhere specific that I wanted to go. Only that I wanted us to be able to be somewhere private where we could talk and not get interrupted."

"Well, wherever it is, it's pretty." Chloe hugged herself, looking around the moonlit meadow next to the lagoon, the water sparkling like stars.

Sam nodded in agreement, although he hugged himself as well, the air chilly.

Chloe gave him a look. "Come on, there's a little cabin up there, see? You need to get out of the cold or you're going to get sick."

They walked together in silence.

* * *

 **TBC**


	2. After The Soul - Part Two

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

 **Since most season premieres feature two episodes... here's part 2 ;)**

* * *

"Wait, are you _sure_ about this?" Cordelia Chase asked, sitting up in bed, yanking the sleeping mask from her face now that she was wide awake.

"Yes!" Jessica's voice whined into her ear from the telephone she had blindly reached for when it woke her. "This girl Chloe just arrived and he fricken picked her up and they _disappeared_! I don't know what happened!"

"She's back," Cordelia whispered, smile lighting her features.

"Who _is_ she?" Jessica snapped.

Cordelia hung up the phone and turned to Dean, shaking the sleeping man violently. "Wake up!"

"Five more minutes," Dean begged, turning away from her.

Cordelia glared at him and yanked his pillow out from underneath him.

"Cor!" Dean growled, opening his eyes and turning to glare at her.

The brunette just grinned. "She's back!"

Dean looked at her in confusion. "Who?"

His girlfriend gave him a look that told him he was an utter idiot.

Dean still had no idea who she was talking about, though now he felt self-conscious about it. "Goddamit woman, I'm not a psychic! Who called you on the phone? What fucking time is it? Who's back?"

"Jessica. I don't know. Chloe."

Dean was about to nag about Sammy's girlfriend not knowing when it was fucking inappropriate to call...when he suddenly jolted up in bed, fully awake. "Chloe's back?"

Cordelia nodded.

"And my brother knows?" Dean pressed.

The brunette nodded once more.

"Well? What did he do?" Dean prompted.

"According to Jessica? He basically kidnapped Chloe. Threw her over his shoulder as she was leaving and disappeared." Cordelia was grinning from ear to ear.

"Figures." Dean rolled his eyes, amused, as he lay back down and closed his eyes.

"What are you doing?" Cor wanted to know, frowning. "You can't _really_ be thinking of going back to sleep!"

"Those two have _years_ of catching up to do." Dean got comfortable once more. "It's going to take some time."

Cordelia pouted. "How can you go to sleep at a time like this?"

"We're going to need our rest to deal with this." Dean yawned, already being drawn back into the world of the sand man.

Cordelia just pouted at him as she soon heard snores.

Men.

* * *

When Sam started the fire with some words in latin, Chloe had to admit, she was impressed. He'd changed so much since she'd sent him away with his father, and the blonde couldn't help but realize that she really didn't know Sam anymore. It saddened her a little, but at least it gave them a lot to talk about now that they'd reunited. Also, his powers and strength and attitude hadn't been the only things to change. He'd really, uh, grown into himself, physically.

And since he was wearing only briefs and socks she had a good view of that change.

Chloe gulped and looked away into the flames.

"The teleportation-I can't do that much, it takes a lot of strain out of me and I find myself unable to do magic for days afterwards," Sam explained, grinning brightly. "So we might be footing it back from wherever it is we are now."

"We should check this place and see if the old residents left any clothes. Giant sized clothes." Chloe sent him a sideways glance. "Since when did you decide to go all Mister Muscles on me?"

"It just happened." Sam shrugged, though his shy smile proved he was pleased. "But enough about me, tell me about you. Tell me everything that has happened since-since that day."

Chloe sighed, the smile melting from her face as she turned towards the roaring fireplace. "Well, we lived in Italy for a while, I picked up the language and have probably never eaten such amazing food before." Her smile was a sad one. "Without you to use as a blackmailing card Angelus realized he didn't have much leverage over me, and since he didn't seem to want to kill me, he spoiled me. Rotten. His way of making sure I never wanted to leave, I guess." She pulled a strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. "We hunted criminals. Pedophiles, murderers, rapists...I made it into a game so that they'd enjoy it more. The chase. The kill." Her eyes darkened as she was drawn into the memories. "After a while they only snacked on innocent civilians whenever I couldn't find someone guilty-decide whose guilt was strong enough to die for." Her smile was dark. "I learnt to judge swiftly, I guess, because by the time we made it to France they hadn't had an 'innocent' victim in over six months."

Sam was silent, not judgmental, just listening.

"Dru and I had our heart set on this chateau, and what we wanted we got, Angelus and Spike always made sure of it. So since the chateau was being occupied by some Boretz demons they were taken care of, and we moved in. The minions were licking the blood off of the stone floors for _days_." She chuckled in dark amusement, all too aware of the fact that Sam was far from smiling. "We were just getting used to life in our new territory when Angelus got his soul back."

The blonde closed her eyes.

"Chloe?" Sam asked, concerned.

"He's in a breakdown." She opened her eyes and gave Sam a sad smile. "He hates himself for what I've been through, what I've gotten used to. He knows that if it wasn't for Angelus those things would still disgust me, and not be just another day at work and play." She ran her hand over her hair. "He wanted us to leave the second he got his soul back, and we had to because Dru was planning to kill him to keep him from destroying her family, again." Her eyes filled with tears despite the shaky smile on her face. "She cried so _hard_ , begging me not to go." Chloe wiped at the tears beginning to fall. "Said she'd always wanted a mother like me."

" _Chloe_ ," Sam whispered, voice hoarse as he reached over and pulled her to him, hugging her tightly as she cried heartbrokenly into his chest. "Should I...apologize?"

" _No_." She sniffled, shaking her head. "You did the right thing, Sam. You gave Angel back his soul. I will always be grateful to you for that. _Thank you_."

"You just...you don't seem _happy_ that I did." Sam's voice cracked as he continued to hold her.

"I am. For Angel. And for me." She tried to sound reassuring, but she knew she failed terribly. "But, no matter what they are, Spike and Dru became my family throughout these last couple of years. Dru-she was like this precious, psychotic, doting daughter who followed me everywhere, copied what I did, strived to be perfect for me and was always so _happy_ when I could understand her when not even _Spike_ could." Chloe closed her eyes so tight they hurt. "And when Dru was in her fits, and Angelus in his bloodlust, it was _Spike_ who was my constant, my confidant. If it wasn't for each other I don't think either of us would have been able to handle both Angelus _and_ Dru. Spike helped me with Angelus, I helped him with Dru, and we were each other's shoulder to lean on when those two were just too much to deal with."

Sam caressed her hair soothingly. "You feel guilty for leaving them, both of them."

" _Yes_ ," Chloe finally admitted out loud.

"Well, maybe they could visit?" Sam surprised her by asking.

She was surprised enough to laugh, pulling away from him and looking at his face, realizing he was serious. "The Angel issue aside, I doubt you'd want to bring two fourths of the Plague of Europe to California."

"I thought Angelus was called the _Scourge_ of Europe?" Sam blinked.

She nodded. "But when they're all together I call them the _Plague_." She smiled. "They were quite complimented when I told them that. Spike got all teary-eyed and told me that if he was the boils I was the rash."

Sam unexpectedly laughed at that.

Chloe looked up at him, just shocked at how _different_ he was.

She'd just told him how she'd _helped_ the vampires kill, how she'd actually found and offered up victims to them, and he didn't seem to care.

She gulped.

What exactly had happened to Sammy after they'd parted ways?

There had to be something more than what he'd told her so far.

He was dark.

She could sense it.

Sam was right.

They were connected.

He was her conduit.

That was confusing because once, a long time ago, they'd believed that _she_ was the conduit, and yet that wasn't true anymore. No one knew _what_ exactly she was anymore, but her connection to the Hellmouth was obvious, and Sam was a conduit of the darkness inside of her.

They were tied in a way so deep and intense she didn't know if it could be explained.

And just like she'd sensed when he'd used their connection to give Angel back his soul...she could feel the darkness inside of him.

She wondered, gulping, if it was her fault.

Maybe, through their connection, he'd absorbed some of _her_ darkness.

That thought made her worry.

And guilty.

Sam didn't deserve to be put through more shit because of her!

She cleared her throat, going closer to the fire, guilt starting to gnaw on her. "You know, I'm going to have to apologize to your girlfriend." She sent him a sheepish grin. "I was kind of a bitch to her...but I'm just so used to dealing with demons that I guess I've gotten a bit... _harsh_."

"Jess wasn't exactly Miss Congeniality herself." Sam shrugged, getting up. "I'm going to look for something to wear."

"Good luck." She turned her attention back to the fire and lost herself in its hue. The sound of her phone ringing caused her to jolt, and her first thought was that it was Angelus- _Angel_ -but the caller I.D. surprised her, and she hesitated a second before answering it. "Hey."

" _Missing me_?"

She smiled sadly, leaning hard against the sofa. "You have no idea how much." She ran her hands through her hair. "Angel's so deep in his self-loathing he won't even look at me."

There was a sigh. _"Dru's locked in her room, won't let me in_. _Feels like I've lost my whole bloody family and I'm some unwanted orphan._ "

Chloe closed her eyes tightly. "I'm so sorry, Spike."

He was silent.

She gazed down at her lap. "When Angel is...better...maybe I can come and visit on my own? See how you two are? Would that be okay?"

There was silence, and then... " _You'd do that, ducks?_ "

"I wasn't lying when I said I missed you," she whispered.

" _Have to admit it, luv, I'm shocked. Would have thought you'd be ecstatic to have gotten rid of us and be back with your good ol' buddies and pals. The Scooby Gang Rides Again and all that bollocks."_

"I won't lie and say that I'm not happy to see my old friends...but you're still family, Spike. You and Dru both. We mightn't have become family in the nicest of ways but we are, and that's not going to change...at least not for me."

There was silence, and then Spike cleared his throat. " _Dammit ducks, don't get all sentimental on me, I might just join in and then I'd have to kill you_."

She chuckled. "Okay."

" _Whenever Dru gets out of this stint and comes outside...I'll make her call you, yeah?_ "

"I'd like that." Her voice wavered as she cradled her phone.

Spike cursed. " _Don't make me wish I'd given into my Dark Princess and killed the poofster, Chloe_."

" _Spike_..." Chloe didn't know what she could say to make this situation any better.

" _I know, I know._ " He growled, agitation growing. " _Look Bit, I'm going to hang up now before I do something stupid, okay_?"

"Take care of yourself and Dru." Chloe told him. "And make sure the animals are fed."

" _Dru killed them, pet_ ," Spike sighed. " _She killed them all_."

Chloe's heart hurt at the thought of the massacre of the pets. "Oh."

" _Later, ducks_." And with that, Spike hung up.

Chloe closer her eyes and brought the phone to her forehead, taking in a ragged breath, telling herself not to cry.

On the other side of the wall Sam leaned hard against it, head back, staring up at the ceiling, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he clenched his hands tightly.

* * *

Hanging up on her phone call with Giles, Buffy wiped at her tears and gazed at herself in the mirror. The dyed redhead staring back at her looked as if she'd had a good cry, but other than that she seemed unburdened for the first time in three long years. There was even a hint of a smile curving her lips as she thought about how things were finally starting to become right in the world. She'd spoken to Giles, had had him yell at her, scold her, and then break down crying. He'd told he was was booking the first flight to L.A. as soon as their phone call ended, and she was excited at the fact that she'd be seeing him soon...and not just him...but the others as well.

Sam was sure his spell had worked and Angel's soul had returned, which meant that Chloe would be returning to the States.

The Slayer still felt shame for being unable to protect her friends...and for having abandoned the friends she'd had left, her mother, and her duty to the Hellmouth...but she couldn't continue feeling sorry for herself.

At least the Hellmouth had Faith to watch over it, and she wouldn't have to go back there. She could stay here in L.A., which was good because from what Giles and Sam had told her almost everyone was still in California so they were close by.

And her mother...she hadn't moved from Sunnydale.

Giles said that she'd refused to move in case Buffy came back looking for her.

Taking in a deep breath as tears threatened to prick her eyes, Buffy cleared her throat and picked up the phone once more, dialing Joyce Summer's number.

* * *

Angel gazed out of the window of the hotel room Chloe had gotten them, gazing at the city below. Angelus, caged once more, growled and snarled and shook at the bars keeping him prisoner, telling him to do something, to stop being such a weakling. The evil within wanted to be free once more, wanted to take control, take possession. Angel clutched a hand to his chest, lowering his gaze. The soul hadn't been gone during this whole time, he'd been the one locked in the cage watching as Angelus did what he wanted with his body, and his woman. He'd screamed and rattled at the bars, trying to get free yet had felt hopeless and useless to stop what Chloe and Sam were dragged into.

He'd understood Angelus' need to have Sam chained in his bedroom, for the boy to watch as he made love to Chloe. It'd been wrong and evil but Angel had understood. Not only had Angelus gotten off of the fact that they were watched, and from the pain, anger and resentment rising from the kid, but the longing had been enticing as well. He'd liked flaunting in the kid's face everything he wanted and couldn't have unless Angelus let him. And many times Angelus had contemplated letting him have a taste...at a price. In fact, it had been heading steadily towards that, but Chloe had proven cunning and spirited Sam out of their capture at the first opportunity, so Angelus had never had the chance to extend the offer to Sam.

Within his cage, Angel had thanked the Powers that Be...and when Chloe returned to the lair his feelings had been bittersweet. He knew she'd come back for him, because she loved him and wouldn't leave him no matter what...and he'd loved her more in that moment than ever...but he'd also known that because of the love she had for him she was going to be put through numerous atrocities and situations he would have done his best to shield her from.

These last three years he'd been unable to do anything but watch everything she'd had to live through, had had to watch her left with an insane Drusilla, do nothing as she was shared with Spike...and he could do nothing but watch as she slowly became more vampire than human. He watched as she started coming out from her room more, started spending time with them voluntarily. Angel couldn't do anything as Chloe licked at Angelus' blood, her lips stained red. He'd been unable to even move his fingers as Chloe started taking over most of Dru's care, adopting the pets Drusilla decided she wanted, taking care of both them and the insane vampire with a tender touch. Angel had screamed out his frustration at his inability to stop the close connection Chloe began to form with Spike due to Angelus' and Dru's difficult natures.

In the end he'd stopped struggling, stop trying to get free, and mourned.

Mourned because his girl had had to toughen, to change...mourned her innocence lost...mourned the way he would catch her looking up at Angelus hopefully, as if trying to catch a glimpse of Angel behind those eyes...and even though he tried to show her that he was still there... in the end she'd look away, obviously saddened.

He mourned how horribly he'd let her down.

He loved her...and because of that he'd hurt her.

Angel placed his hand against the window's glass.

"I can't keep doing this."

* * *

"Cordelia Chase, artist." Chloe made a face as she tilted her head to the side. "I never would have expected it."

"She's actually doing quite well. Dean says its her way of killing him over and over again without actually having to do it." Sam grinned, dimples deep, as he lounged on the rug on the floor with her, the shadows from the flames of the fireplace dancing on his face. "And he's studying architecture."

"So they are _both_ artists." The blonde shook her head, in awe.

"I hadn't thought about it that way," Sam admitted. "But you're right. They both are...though in completely different ways."

"And you, pre-law." Chloe's green gaze rested on him, unable to keep the pride from showing. "I'm really proud of all of you."

Sam smiled and lowered his gaze. "Had to keep myself busy somehow."

"Right." She shook her head, amused. "So somehow you're doing pre-law _and_ keeping up enough with your witchcraft lessons that you are able to _teleport_."

"Sometimes," he admitted. "It's tricky and requires too much energy for me to make it a habit to use it."

"Still..." she sat up straighter. "That's impressive, Sammy."

He lips twitched as his fingers played with the fabric of the rug. "Long time since I've heard you call me that."

She only managed a smile, gaze going to the flames. "Can you manage one teleportation left?" She sighed. "I need to go to Angel."

There was silence before Sam nodded. "Sure, I understand."

They stood, and as Sam gathered her in his arms, Chloe clung tight as shadows gathered around them and then they were gone.

* * *

"She still won't come out?"

Spike shook his head as he took a deep breath of his fag. "She won't eat, won't sleep, won't come out, won't do anything but scream and tear things apart inside her room."

Kal leaned against the unused fire place and took a long gulp of the bottle of whiskey in his hand. "I still can't believe that _that_ was the soul. He's...unimpressive."

"The soul is _disgusting!_ " Spike snarled. "I hate the soul! All the soul has ever done is destroy our lives and family!"

"I can't see little cousin staying with someone like him for long." Kal made a face. "He was crying. Crying!"

Spike just took an extra deep breath of smoke, letting it out in a furious puff.

* * *

"So, were you going to wait until I got back or would you have just left without telling me anything?" It was hard to believe that she could feel such turmoil and yet be completely numb at the same time. She was still shocked, having walked in to find Angel finishing packing the little amount of things he'd brought with him. He'd been about to leave her. Her mind couldn't wrap around that. Couldn't comprehend how this could be happening.

Chloe just stood in the doorway, watching him as he stood looking out of the window, back to her. Angel's hand clasped the window frame tightly, his fingers digging into the wood.

"I was going to leave you a note." He finally spoke, voice raspy.

"After all we've gone through all I deserve is a _note_?" Chloe shook her head, anger growing alongside resentment. "Fuck you! If you're going to leave me then be man enough to look me in the face when you do!"

Angel turned towards her finally, the shadows of the dark room doing nothing to hide the agony on his face.

Chloe gulped back the urge to go to him, to hold him close and tell him it was fine, that they could get passed this. She'd done that already, had been doing so endlessly since Angel's soul had been returned to him.

"You deserve so much more than what I've given you-put you through!" Self-hatred marred his every feature. "This is the best thing I can do for you."

"Don't you dare pretend you're doing this for me because that's a lie!" Chloe snapped, tears pricking at her eyes. "I want you to stay. I want to be with you. I LOVE you!"

"I love you too." Angel's voice broke. "So much."

"Then stay." Chloe hated that she was pleading, that it'd gotten to this point. "If you leave you're going because you want to."

"I don't want to!" He snapped at her, features rippling.

"Then why do it?" She tried to keep her voice from rising.

"Because it's the right thing to do!" Angel snarled. "I've taken three years from your life! I stole you from your family and friends! I made you do things-I-I-I've made you be in situations..." Disgust dripped form his every feature. "I've failed you in every way possible."

"You haven't failed me." Chloe ran her hand over her hair. "These last three years I've been with Angelus, not you. Everything I've lived through mightn't have been a fairy tale but it made me stronger."

"I treated you as if you were a vampire," Angel continued with his list of crimes, not listening to her at all. "I put you in constant danger-just by making you live with Drusilla I was signing your death certificate!"

"Three years and a pulse say otherwise," Chloe countered.

"I-I slept with Drusilla...I didn't even try to hide that it was happening...and I _shared_ you!" Angel whispered the word.

Chloe sighed, rubbing her arm as they reached the topic she knew would be the biggest issue once Angel got his soul back. "Angel, you were Angelus back then, and Angelus is very much a vampire." She shrugged. "I knew that that was going to happen. Remember when Darla tried to sire me? The first thing she told me of was how vampire families shared, how it was a way they bonded or loved or whatever. When I came back to you after taking Sam to safety I knew that it would happen eventually. And I won't lie and say that it didn't kill me at first to see you with Dru, but in time I suppose I came to understand it. I couldn't hate you or Dru when you both loved me so much, and then I had Spike too and I could understand. We offered each other things the other couldn't give at the moment. I know it's hard for you to understand or accept what I'm going to say right now...but it actually made the last three years bearable."

"How can you defend it?" Angel growled at her. "You should hate me with all your soul right now!"

"But I don't," she whispered.

"You should."

"Why?" She asked. "You hate yourself enough for the both of us."

He flinched.

"Don't do this, Angel," she pleaded. "Don't leave me. I need you now more than ever."

"You have your family and friends back." He wouldn't look at her. "You'll be fine."

It pissed her how ready and determined he was to leave her-to break both their hearts.

"Think about what you're doing." She cleared her throat. "I only just got you back. How can you leave me?"

"Because it's the right thing to do by you," he replied. "You deserve a normal life."

"I have a connection with the _Hellmouth_ , my life with _never_ be normal!" She snapped.

"That's why you deserve more from the person you are with!" Angel snapped back at her, face shifting to that of his demon. "You should be with someone who doesn't have an evil alter ego who could come out when least expected and keep you prisoner!"

"The only reason Angelus got free was because Dru and Spike used my connection to the Hellmouth against us!" Chloe cried.

"Exactly! Dru and Spike! Whom I made the way they are!" Angel snarled. "I can't keep being so selfish and putting you through these situations! My family alone-!"

"Your family?" Chloe couldn't help the ugly laughter quite as she shook her head. "Come on Angel, let's be honest. They've never been _your_ family. They're _Angelus'_. Hell, they're much more _my_ family than they are yours!"

Angel just looked at her silently.

She looked away, feeling terrible for her outburst.

"You're right," Angel acquiesced. "You adapted so well I think they even forgot you weren't a vampire."

She looked up at him.

"I'll never forgive myself for that." Angel turned towards the door.

"Think this over, Angel." Chloe tried for the last time, desperate, barely holding on. "If you walk out that door, if you leave me when I need you the most, it's because you want to. I will cry. I will be heart broken. But I won't die because you're gone." She wasn't proud that she was trying to appeal to the caged Angelus within, but she was desperate. "I won't just lay down and let life pass me by. I'll mourn you, but I'll move on." She gulped, going for the killer shot. "I'll find someone else."

For a second Angelus flashed over Angel's face before he was himself once more. "Good."

And then he was gone.

All alone in their room, Chloe felt numbness spreading throughout her whole body as she slowly made her way towards the cold bed. She kicked off her shoes before climbing in under the sheets, pulling them up to her chest, the movements mechanical.

When the sobs finally began, their ugly sound echoed off of the walls and taunted her.

For the first time in a very long time, Chloe felt truly alone.

* * *

Sam hesitated outside of his apartment, gazing up at the moon. Tonight had been a roller-coaster of information and emotion. Chloe was back where she belonged and Angel had his soul back, yet things weren't as Sam had imagined they would go. He'd always imagined both Chloe and Angel happy and grateful, but from what he'd seen of Chloe and what she'd told him about Angel, they were both hardly able to hold on.

And now he'd have to deal with Jess. She wouldn't be happy, and she'd want explanations on not only who Chloe was but she'd want to know how he'd just disappeared the way he had. Despite being with her Sam had managed to live two separate lives and had successfully kept her strictly in only one until tonight.

Shaking his head, Sam squared his shoulders and entered the apartment...and found his girlfriend plastered to the ceiling, eviscerated, and on fire.

* * *

 **TBC**


	3. Simon Says

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Based on Supernatural Season 2 "Simon Says"

* * *

Chloe remained true to her word not to collapse and just let the world pass her by. It helped that there was much going around her, and that made her feel horrible and guilty because Sam's loss and mourning shouldn't be just a way for her to keep her mind occupied and off of Angel. She did her best to redeem that ugly part of her that was grateful for someone else's drama being worse than hers by being supportive and as best a friend to the grieving man as possible. He was in shock, felt guilty, blamed himself for Jess' death. There was something in Sam's eyes that Chloe didn't like, it reminded her too much of a wounded animal who was dangerous in its pain, but other than keep an eye on him she did nothing. Dean and Cordelia were the ones who had the right to talk to Sam about things, and while Chloe wished she could have reunited with them under better conditions she was just glad to have them back. Buffy had gotten into contact with them, and after going to visit her mother she was planning on coming to see them again with Giles in tow.

They'd be the old gang once more...and yet they'd never be the old gang ever again.

These three years had changed everyone in ways that couldn't be explained, and Chloe knew without a doubt that the old Scooby Gang was dead.

That didn't mean that a new one couldn't be born though.

Sam, Dean and Cordelia still fought the few baddies they'd come across the last three years, though they admitted that there'd been a lot less action since Chloe had left. And that made Chloe wonder if it was wrong for her to stay around them. Already she could feel the Hellmouth energy beginning to take root, make itself at home, and it was only a matter of time before the creatures around them began to feel it as well and journeyed towards them. She'd put her friends at risk once more just because she was there, and she didn't think it was fair, not when they'd gotten on with their lives the way they had.

It was one of the reasons why she'd gone to Metropolis, although the long-overdue reunion with her father and Jenny was the primary reason for her trip. A part of her had truly believed she'd never see them again, so as she hugged them both she couldn't help but cry and hold tightly. While she still found it somewhat awkward with her friends, her father and Jenny made it impossible. Their home, which they repeatedly told her was hers as well, was warm and inviting and Chloe cried a little when she found that a room had been dedicated to her, having all of her things from her room in Sunnydale. They'd truly been waiting for her to come back home.

"We want you to stay in Metropolis." Jenny reached out and placed her ringed hand on Chloe's, squeezing it tightly. "You can get your GED and study at MetU here with us, safe, with your family."

Chloe smiled up at her. "And ruin the honeymoon?"

"What honeymoon? We've been together three years already! We _need_ some kids in the nest to keep us together!" Jenny joked.

The blonde took in a deep breath, considering as her gaze went to her father, who was talking to Mr. Luthor on the phone about something job-related. "I'm still not sure what I want to do with my life, Jenny. I-," she took in a deep breath and returned her attention to the beautiful woman. "If I stayed here you two wouldn't be safe."

Jenny frowned. "This has to do with your connection to the Hellmouth, doesn't it?"

Chloe nodded. "I'm a conduit for it-Sam's a conduit for _me_ -I don't know. It's all very confusing."

"Have you been able to figure anything out these last couple of years?" Jenny wanted to know, leaning forwards, concerned.

"Not much," the blonde was loathed to admit. "All I know is that when I settle in a place, it becomes Hellmouthy after a while. And, well, I've been having demon visitors lately. One was Azazel, a powerful yet mysterious demon who knows who I am but won't tell me...and Ruby, someone who says she knows who I am as well and offered herself in the future as a minion."

"A _minion_?" Jenny asked in shock.

"Exactly." Chloe ran a hand over her hair as she sighed. "Makes you wonder, doesn't it? If the Master isn't my..." her gaze went to her father, who was paying attention to something else and not paying attention to the 'bonding' women. "You haven't told him, right?"

"Of course not." Jenny shook her head. "He's your father, no matter what."

The younger woman nodded. "I agree."

The two women smiled at each other, squeezing the other's hand.

"I'm so happy he found you," Chloe admitted, sending the older woman a look.

"Yeah, well, I'm not too bad off." Jenny grinned, sending Gabe a loving glance before returning her attention to the blonde. "Do us a favor and at least _consider_ staying? Look at MetU. We both want you to stay."

Chloe paused before nodding. "I'll check it out."

* * *

"She's resurfaced and made contact with Rupert Giles and the rogue Slayer." Gwendolyn Post leaned forwards over the table and peered at the others there with her. "We've lost the Hellmouth's conduit once already. Now that's she has come out of the woodwork I say that we put someone on her. Immediately. We can't lose something like her, not again."

"She has a point, for once," Rutherford Sirk declared with that insufferable smirk on his face. "Giles has already lost the girl once. On top of that he lost his Slayer. Why are we trusting him again?"

Quentin Travers, the senior Watcher amongst them in the Council, steepled his hands together. "We're not trusting them. We're watching." He raised an eyebrow. "When that girl's unique connection to the Hellmouth was discovered we should've put someone on her, as was our first thought, but we made the mistake of leaving things in Rupert's incompetent hands when he suggested we allow her to remain with the Slayer due to their apparent connection."

"Right," Gwendolyn agreed. "So we need to get in there and take control of the situation before it spirals out of control again."

"Patience," Quentin chided with a dark chuckle. "Patience."

* * *

There was a clock reading 12:21, and a busy street. A smiling, late-middle aged man walked down the sidewalk. His cell phone rang and he picked it up, face and voice a constant smile. He was obviously a cheery man who rarely frowned.

"Hello." He answered the phone. "Yeah."

There was a white-flash of a gun barrel raising.

"All right." The man nodded.

Another imagine flashed, this time of the same man cocking a shotgun.

The man's face was now blank as he lowered the phone slowly.

A city bus with a picture of a neighborhood and the words 'Pleasant Meadows' and 'LuthorCorp' written on it passed by.

The man smiled and turned, continued walking.

Across the street he spotted a sports equipment shop and approached a man leaning against a counter reading GUNS magazine.

"Afternoon Dennis." He smiled congenially.

"Hey, Doc." Dennis smiled back, obviously surprised yet pleased to see the other man.

"I'd like to look at a gun."

Dennis snorted. "Yeah, right, Doc."

The man just looked at him.

Dennis' eyebrows pulled together in a frown. "Seriously?" He crossed behind the counter in front of a display of guns.

The man just looked around, then pointed. "That one."

Dennis unlocked the display and pulled out the indicated gun. "Okay. That's a turkey hunter, twelve gauge, pump action. Doesn't leave enough turkey behind, if you ask me."

"What sort of shells does it use?"

Dennis pulled a box from under the counter. "Right here. I'm taking the boys up to the cabin this weekend if you're, uh...I mean if you think you might like to take up the sport."

The man took a shell and started to fit it into the gun. "Thanks, but no. You know guns make me nervous, always have." He smiled. "This one goes in here, right?"

Dennis' eyes widened. "Whoa, Doc! No, you can't load a weapon on the premises, it's illegal!"

"It's okay, Dennis." The man assured.

"No, no."

"It's okay, Dennis." The man repeated once more. "It's all gonna be okay."

And then he turned the gun on Dennis and fired.

"Doc!" Dennis was hurled against the wall as the blast hit him.

All around them the other customers started to panic.

"No, no, it's, it's okay. It's okay." The man declared. "It's all gonna be okay." He pressed the shotgun against his chin and fired.

...

"NO!" Buffy screamed as she awoke, breathing in viciously, flashes of the nightmare cutting into her vision as she held her head. It'd been three years since she'd had a Slayer Dream, three years since...the shock of it wracked through her body, giving her the cold sweats and all sorts of wigginess. She looked around her old room, wondering if being back in the Hellmouth had anything to do with it or if it was the fact that she'd stopped running from what she was. Then again, it wasn't as if she was back home to take over her position as Slayer of Sunnydale, Faith and her Watcher had everything covered, and to be truthful Buffy didn't want to be the Slayer of Sunnydale anymore. She was happy letting the Slayer she'd never met and didn't plan on meeting take over everything and run the show.

But still...this was the first sign from the Powers That Be that...that she still had a purpose.

That hadn't been just a dream.

It'd been a warning.

Buffy wasn't Dream Girl, that used to be Chloe's department, but she knew a message when she got one.

The dyed redhead sighed, wishing she could have spent more time with her mother, before picking up the phone and dialing Giles.

* * *

"It's not your fault, Sammy," Dean sighed as he sat with his brother in the darkened living room. Cordelia was in the third bedroom which she'd converted into an art studio, doing work, or in other words ignoring him as they'd gotten into another fight. He was happily ignoring her in return while trying to deal with his brother's depression, Sam having temporarily moved in with them since his apartment had gone up in flames...along with his girlfriend.

"I should have been there to protect her, Dean." Sam held his bottle of beer tightly and shook his head in disgust. "I shouldn't have been with her to begin with! Being with me is what got her killed! If she hadn't been my girlfriend this wouldn't have happened."

"You don't know that." Dean frowned.

"My mother died in a fire, Dean." Sam glared, looking up at his older brother. "I'm beginning to wonder if this wasn't a coincidence."

Dean frowned. "What, you think whatever killed your mother killed Jess?"

"Dad only ever told us that everyone around him died because of supernatural evil." Sam frowned. "There has to be a reason why he never told us the details about how our mothers died."

"Well, he told us enough." Dean frowned. "Mine got shot by some whack-job and yours died in a fire..."

"Just like my girlfriend. Whom I left alone despite knowing all that goes bump in the night." Sam took a long gulp of his beer. "I got her killed."

"Stop saying that." Dean growled. "It wasn't your fault!"

"I shouldn't have been with her! I should have left her alone!" Sam stood, self-loathing obvious in his every expression. "She didn't deserve all that I put her through! She didn't deserve to die the way she did! She didn't-she didn't-."

"Deserve to be a substitute for someone else?" Dean sighed.

Sam sat down.

"Come on Sammy, she was blonde, green eyed, and snarky. It was kind of obvious." Dean took a long gulp of his own beer, needing the alcohol to deal with this. "You're not only feeling guilty because she was killed and you weren't there to save her, you're guilty because even when you were with her you were never fully over Chloe. You're guilty because you didn't love her like you knew she deserved to be loved."

Sam was silent.

"We're going to find out what did that to Jess, and we're going to kick its ass." Dean promised.

Sam nodded, taking another gulp of his beer.

* * *

Walking through Smallville was like taking a step back in time. Chloe couldn't believe the nostalgia she felt as she walked down those streets, those shops, that she'd frequent as a high schooler. So little had changed in that town, everything the same, even the buildings hadn't changed their color paint. It was as if she'd stepped into a living memory and she was the only thing completely different. It was a shock. It was a jolt. She could remember hating it when her father brought her to live here. She could remember the Freak of the Week. She could remember thinking that living life anywhere but here would be utterly boring.

And then she'd gone to Sunnydale.

Gulping, Chloe brought her hand to her heart.

The thoughts of Sunnydale were painful as they forced her to remember all she'd left behind, all she'd lost, and right now she didn't need to remember it.

She wasn't ready.

"Chloe?" A familiar voice asked in shock. "Oh my god! It's really you!"

The blonde turned in time to be engulfed by a beautiful girl with raven hair. "Lana?"

Lana Lang pulled away, smiling brightly. "I can't believe it's you! Just look at you!" She grinned brightly, giving the blonde a once over. "You look so different! Edgy. I like it."

Chloe smiled, gazing down at the ever wholesome girl. "How are you doing?"

"I'm great." Lana grinned. "Remember the old theatre my parents used to own? I took it over and converted it into a coffee shop, I call it the Talon. Pete and I run it."

"Pete?" Chloe asked, surprised that her childhood friend was still in Smallville.

"Yes." Lana smiled, raising her hand to display the glistening diamond. "We got married last spring. It was so beautiful and intimate."

"Congratulations." Chloe was genuine in her happiness at Lana and Pete having found each other, it was something she had never imagined happening.

"What about you?" Lana asked.

The blonde cleared her throat, smile slipping somewhat. "I'm just out of a long-term relationship actually."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Lana made a face. "He obviously wasn't the right one for you."

Chloe wanted to both argue and agree with that comment, so she just gave an awkward little smile and looked away. "I really should get going. I promised dad I'd do some things for him today but I got distracted and came back here to see how everything was doing."

"Well, it was nice seeing you again." Lana hugged her once more. "Next time you come to Smallville we'll have to have dinner and catch up!"

"Of course." Chloe promised although she had no intention of doing so.

Lana gave a little wave and walked off, humming happily to herself.

Chloe watched her, feeling that old familiar sense of resentment, of wanting to be like Lana Lang.

So...so _happy_ and content.

Then again, Lana Lang didn't have some mystical connection to a Hellmouth, did she?

Shaking her head, Chloe turned to begin walking away when he phone rang.

For a second her heart skipped a beat, hoping against hope that it was Angel, but the Caller I.D. betrayed it to be Lucy instead. Her cousin had been calling up on her regularly to check up on her and make sure she was fine...and didn't want to come back to Europe right away to be with her and Kal, or as she put it, her 'cool' family. The blonde pushed back the bone-crushing disappointment and managed a little smile as she answered. "Hey you. Is the Mona Lisa safe?"

"Why would I want that? It's ugly!" International thief, Lucy Lane, scoffed before clearing her throat. "How are you doing Chlo?"

"I'm fine." Chloe looked around her. "I decided to check Smallville. Nothing's changed."

Lucy made a sound of disgust. "How depressing. It's so...so... _ewww_."

Chloe blinked. "When did you ever come to Smallville?"

"More times than I am happy with." Lucy sounded like she was shrugging. "Kal's adopted father did this whole thing where he tried to make Kal turn back into Clark. He infused himself with Kryptonian DNA somehow to try and force him to listen to him, but Kal was happy with me and the Clark part of him made him promise to come and visit regularly. And he brings me along because if he has to endure Smallville and his parents trying to bring him back to the superhero they see him as, I have to endure it as well."

Chloe was shocked speechless, unable to believe this twist of events. "Kal always talks as if Clark is a part of his past he's forgotten, deleted, and that everything about the humanity in Clark he left behind."

"Kal's full of shit." Lucy snorted. "Plus, he has a reputation to uphold."

Chloe smiled at the glimpses of Clark she was now finding thanks to Lucy. Apparently he wasn't dead and gone at all, and she was monumentally thankful for that. Though she had to admit, she was glad there was Kal as well. Kal had the hard edge that was needed to not only survive, but thrive, in this world of theirs.

"Any word from the soul?" Lucy asked.

" _Angel_." Chloe frowned. "His name is Angel."

Lucy cleared her throat. "Yes, well, any news from him?"

"No." Chloe whispered, turning to look at the large water container high above them. "Not a peep."

"Bastard." Lucy hissed. "I can't believe he'd just abandon you like that! Angelus would _never_ have done something like that!"

It was no secret that Lucy preferred Angelus to Angel.

Though she was probably the only _human_ who did.

"Luce..." Chloe sighed, running her fingers through her hair.

"Right, right, let's change the subject." Lucy agreed. "So I spoke to Lois the other day. She 'broke the news' of your return and your not being dead. I had to feign shock and surprise of course. I wanted to give you the heads up that she wants to come and see you during the holidays."

Chloe nodded although her cousin couldn't see her. "I should call her, shouldn't I?"

"Probably should." Lucy agreed. "Beware, she'll be pissed you disappeared yet extremely happy you're back safe and sound."

"I figured." Chloe srighed.

"Just consider it?" Lucy whispered, not having to say what she was asking Chloe to consider.

"Maybe, in a year or two." Chloe responded. "Dad just got me back...and there are things I need to do here."

"I understand." Lucy cleared her throat. "I guess I just got used to having you nearby. You and I were never as close as you used to be with Lois, but during our time in Europe..."

"I know." Chloe closed her eyes. "I miss you too."

"Have you spoken to Spike?" Lucy surprised her by changing the subject.

"Yes actually." Chloe couldn't help but laugh softly, continuing walking. "It's funny that despite the fact that we're so far apart we're still each other's counselor and confidant."

"So he knows the Soul left?" Lucy asked. "I'm surprised he hasn't tried to convince you to come back!"

"He knows I need this." Chloe responded, a lump growing in her throat. "He's thinking about what's best for _me_ right now."

There was a moment's silence before Lucy sighed. "I have to go, we're planning our next _job_ and Kal's getting annoyed over something. Never good. Talk to you later?"

"Sure. Go and calm him before he bends steel." Chloe smiled.

"I find it _hot_ when he does that!" Lucy laughed as she hung up.

Chloe sighed as she gazed at her phone, going through the directory, pausing on Angel's number.

Her finger hovered over the 'call' button before she sighed and exited her phonebook, putting the phone back into her pocket.

Taking in a deep breath, Chloe turned around and started back to where she'd left the car.

Her walk down memory lane had done what it was supposed to do.

She'd moved on...Smallville was no longer a part of her life or regrets.

It was now time to say goodbye to this part of her life and move on.

* * *

"You can't be serious!" Dean snarled.

"Look, I don't like the idea either." Sam glared at him. "But if there's anything anyone can tell me about this, it's dad."

"We both disowned him for a reason!" Dean threw his hands in the air. "Now you want to contact him? Bring him back into the family?"

"No." Sam shook his head. "I want to call him up and ask him if there was anything paranormal to the fire in which my mother died. And if there was, then I know that there is a connection between her death and Jess'."

"And then what? Huh?" Dean made a face.

"Then I deal with whatever it was." Sam responded gravely.

Dean sat down.

"Dean, what if this is something about our family? Your mom and mine both died under extreme circumstances. What if the women the Winchester men are with are in danger? Think about Cordelia! She could be next!"

"Do _not_ say that!" Dean snapped, standing once more, but it was obvious on his face that that had gotten to him.

"I need to talk to dad to be sure." Sam responded.

" _Whatever_." Dean growled, but he sat down once more. "Go ahead and call the asshole."

Nodding, Sam pulled out his cellular and began dialing the number he hadn't ever thought he would.

* * *

"So I typed in 'Pleasant Meadows' and 'LuthorCorp' and I got a match." Buffy told Giles in excitement and pride as they sat in his living room, looking at her laptop. "It's in Smallville."

Giles frowned, pushing his glasses up his noses bridge. "Smallville? As in _Kansas_?"

"As in Chloe's funky meteor-rock town." Buffy pulled a strand of her newly dyed strawberry blonde hair out of her face. It wasn't her original color, but it was much closer than the vibrant red she'd been sporting for three years.

"This doesn't sound good." Giles sighed. "Chloe's with her father and Jenny in Metropolis, that's barely an hour's drive away from Smallville."

"Exactly." Buffy nodded. "What are the chances that I finally have a Slayer Premonition and its connected somehow to Chloe? Remember, we were having those dreams around the same time when we just moved to Sunnydale."

"Yes." Giles stood, frown on his face. "There always has been some sort of connection between you two."

"I think we need to hop on the first plane to Kansas," Buffy declared. "Something's going down in Smallville, and I have a feelings Chloe will find herself in the middle of it."

"Right." Giles nodded, before hesitating. "B-Buffy, are you sure we should just run headlong into this? You _have_ spent the last three years in relative peace and I doubt your training has continued and well-."

"Giles." Buffy stood. "Where I lived wasn't untouched by demons. Although there were far less than in Sunnydale, I'm not terribly out of practice."

Giles didn't seem too convinced, but he nodded, and trusted her.

And that was all she could really ask from him, wasn't it?

* * *

Chloe could remember the days when the thought of going to MetU and working at the Daily Planet were her ultimate goals. She remembered her father taking her to the Daily Planet and telling her all about it, how there they published the truth and sought for justice, remembered how it'd motivated her. But, hours before, as she gazed up at the large revolving planet above the building, she couldn't feel the excitement and longing she once had. She tried, very hard, to find those feelings, to find _that Chloe_ , but no matter how much she searched Chloe couldn't find her, find it. There was only a sense of nostalgia as she gazed at the building before turning her back on it, finding yet another thing of the past that she had to leave right there in the past. The Chloe pre-Sunnydale would feel as if she was on sacred ground by just being this close to The Daily Planet. The post-Sunnydale Chloe though, she just felt tired and slightly hungry.

Entering a coffee shop in Smallville, Chloe gazed at the menu.

Behind the counter, two workers talked.

"I can't believe it, how does he do it?" A girl shook her head. "They never get anything out of him. Never. And debt collectors are supposed to be so hardcore." She ran a hand over her hair. "I mean, they come by every once in a while...I don't know what Andy says to them...but they never come back."

"Andy's kick ass, Tracy. That's the only answer to your question." A guy wiping the counter declared. "He can get you into anything. I mean, he even got me backstage at Aerosmith once. It was so awesome!"

"How about bussing a table or two, Weber?" Tracy raised an eyebrow, obviously annoyed.

He nodded. "You bet, boss."

"Why does he hero worship a man who lives in a van which has a barbarian queen riding a polar bear painted on its side?" Tracy mumbled to herself before noticing Chloe, smiling like any good customer care agent. "How can I help you?"

"Almond mocha with extra whip please." Chloe smiled. "And one of the cheesecakes."

"Coming right up!" Tracy smiled and went to prepare her order.

Chloe gazed around the coffee shop until her order was done, and paid for it, taking a sip of her steaming coffee as she exited the store, the bells above the door jingling. She wondered how Smallville was fairing Meteor-Freak-wise considering that both she and Clark had been gone for years. The place looked fairly tranquil so obviously it and its residents had found a way to deal with the issue on their own.

The blonde made her way to the car, her desire for a revisit to Smallville completely sated.

Up ahead of her a young man exited a building, wearing pajamas and a long satin robe embroidered with dragons.

Chloe blinked, impressed by the confidence one had to had to wear something like that in public.

A woman in a second-story window waved to the man, who blew her a kiss before greeting a man on the street who smiled at him and handed the guy his own coffee quite happily before continuing on his way.

Intrigued by this, Chloe watched the dragon-clad guy closely as he met another man further along the way.

"Hey Doc." He grinned, shaking his hand.

"Andy." The 'doc' smiled back.

Chloe wondered if this was the same Andy Tracy and Weber had been talking about at the coffee shop, but her mind quickly went from Andy to her car when she noticed a deputy by it writing up a ticket. "Wait! Wait! Wait! No!" She hurried to the car as fast as her cup of coffee would allow her. "What's the problem officer? I am not parking on a yellow line or double parked or in a handicap zone or-!"

"Ma'am, you are clearly parked in a No Parking area."

"What?" Chloe gasped. "Where does it say No Parking?"

"It clearly states-."

"Hey! What's going on here?" Andy appeared by their side, a friendly hand on the deputy's shoulder.

"Sir, remove your hand-."

"Calm down man." Andy turned towards the cop with a friendly smile, but the way he spoke, it seemed to echo slightly, and Chloe could feel a tug on her Hellmouth energy as magic tried to draw from her to strengthen its power.

The deputy calmed down.

"You don't really want to give this nice young woman a ticket," Andy continued to speak, his voice slightly echoing, that _thing_ tugging on Chloe yet not able to access her source. "It's not properly marked as a No Parking Space anyway. People who aren't residents wouldn't know."

"You're right." The deputy announced before tearing up the ticket and throwing the pieces into the air. "Good day." He turned and left.

They watched him go before turning to look at each other.

"Chloe Sullivan," he smiled, shaking his head. "I never thought I'd see you around here again."

Chloe blinked, surprised that he knew her.

"You wouldn't know me, I moved in a little after you transferred. Made friends with Pete. Heard all about you from him and Clark before he...left." He smiled, holding his hand out. "The name's Andrew Gallagher. I've heard a lot about you."

"Nice to meet you." Chloe shook his hand, intrigued.

He'd used magic on the deputy.

It'd seemed a lot like mind-control.

Down the street the sounds of gunshots and screams filled the air.

* * *

Sam and Dean sat in silence, neither looking at the other, trying to digest what the conversation with their father had uncovered. They knew for certain that he was still hiding a lot from them but what he'd finally admitted to under pressure had left them both silenced, not knowing how to deal with the situation. How could he have let them live their whole lives without knowing something like this? Sure, he might have been trying to protect them while they were younger, but when he'd found out that they were doing demon slaying of their own he should have come clean and told them this! This not only affected him, it affected them! If they'd known what they did now-and they knew that there was still much John Winchester refused to tell them 'for their own good', the asshole! This wasn't for _their_ good! He was just too fucking scared of letting them know the full-extent of how screwed up everything was!

"Cordy can't know." Dean whispered, hazel gaze going to Sam's blue/green ones. "She can never know."

"Dean, she needs to know. This concerns her whether you want it to or not." Sam replied, meeting his brother's gaze straight on. "What happened to Jess could happen to her."

"No! I won't let it!" Dean snarled, standing. "I won't!"

"If she's going to be as safe as possible, she needs to know." Sam whispered, the image of Jess crying as she burned alive in front of him on the ceiling...it haunted him. "We're not going to let anything touch Cor, but she deserves to know."

Dean closed his eyes.

"What do I deserve to know?"

They both turned to see Cordelia in the doorway, frowning, a bit of drying clay sticking to her cheek.

Her eyes narrowed on them both. "Talk. Now."

Sam and Dean shared a look before Dean sighed and went towards his girlfriend.

"Babe, you're gonna need to sit down."

* * *

"I can't believe he's dead." Andy was obviously in shock as the police took away the man's body in a body bag. "Why would he do something like this? Doctor Jennings was _scared_ of guns! He couldn't stand to be around them! Why would he go to a gun store in the first place? Why would he do this?"

Chloe stood by his side, sensing his genuine shock and horror. "He was a friend of yours."

"Family doctor." Andy took in deep breaths, looking like he was trying to keep from hyperventilating.

"I'm sorry." Chloe placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't understand," Andy whispered, running his hand over his hair, pacing the sidewalk, his dragon house-coat billowing behind him in the wind. "This doesn't make any sense. Doctor Jennings wouldn't do something like this on his own. Someone must have made him. He must have been blackmailed."

"Is there a reason for why someone would blackmail him?" Chloe asked, eyes narrowed.

"I wouldn't know-whatever it would be would be a secret. Which is why it's blackmail material." Andy was beginning to freak, emotions intense as he paced. "I-I need to see Tracy. I'm sorry, I have to go."

Chloe watched him go, obviously barely holding on.

Her green gaze went to the gun store and the police.

She took a sip of her coffee.

Maybe it wasn't time to leave Smallville just _yet_.

* * *

Cordelia Chase sat on the sofa, looking ahead of her, face shocked.

Dean eyed her worriedly.

Sam watched her as well. "Cor?"

She took in a deep breath and leaned back, hard, unable to look at either of them. "How sure are we that your scumbag of a father isn't lying?"

"He's not." Sam assured. "There's still stuff he's hiding, but that much is true."

Cordelia finally looked up at them. "So what does this mean?"

That was the thing.

They didn't know.

* * *

Her first visit was to the large blue van with a painted queen riding the polar bear she'd found on Orchard Street. It'd been unlocked and thus easy to access. Porn music played as she opened the back door, and the first thing she noticed was the disco ball hanging from the ceiling of the van. A chuckle escaped her lips as she looked around her to make sure no one was watching before climbing inside the van and closing the door behind her before taking in a good look at the surroundings. There were fur rugs, a tiger painted on the wall, several thick books, and a ridiculously enormous bong.

"Whoa." She picked up the bong and sniffed it before making a face and putting it back.

Her gaze then went to the books. Hegel, Kant, Wittgenstein...they were some pretty heavy reading. They weren't exactly the reading material she'd expect from someone who had Moby Dick's bong.

She looked around and frowned.

The blonde didn't know why, but while she felt Andy was connected to this there was something off.

Maybe it was the fact that he could control minds and had talked to Doctor Jennings right before his death-or because his magic had subconscious tugged on her connection to the hellmouth to strengthen it-whatever it was something was wigging her out terribly. When she was still trying to get control of herself this was a fairly common experience-for others magic to affect the power source in her, the connection, but ever since she'd managed to learn how to shield it-to keep it locked up and inaccessible to others-she hadn't had anyone really able to tug on it even for a second. The only person who had was Sam, and she'd thought that that was only because he was supposedly her conduit.

So how was it that Andy could as well?

It left her uneasy.

And she didn't do uneasy.

Since there was nothing that Andy's van could tell her about him other than the fact that if he practiced witchcraft he didn't keep his grimoires or magical ingredients in the van with him, Chloe wondered if maybe she mightn't have to brush up on her hacking skills and see what she could find out about him.

Then again, Doctor Jennings, the recently deceased, had been Andy's doctor, hadn't he?

Maybe there was something there, and that was why Chloe used the commotion to steal into the doctor's office, looking through his files. She kept her mind open, remembering Andy's comment about a potential blackmailing, but there was nothing that she could find either in his desk, files, or computer that might suggest that the good doctor was the victim of blackmailing or any other evil-doing. There _was_ however evidence that his computer's firewall had been breached quite recently, and that left the woman intrigued, wondering who it was and what they could have been searching for in the man's computer.

Suddenly the door opened, and Andy stood there.

Chloe stood up immediately. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" He hissed at her. "What are _you_ doing here?" He then snorted. "Right. I forgot. Pete told me you were a first class snoop...which will serve us very well right now." He closed the door behind him and stalked towards the desk. "So? Have you found any evidence? Was Doc being blackmailed? Who did this to him?"

"How can you be so sure he didn't kill that man and himself out of his own free will?" Chloe frowned.

Andy looked her dead in the eyes. "Because Doc was a good person. And good people don't just kill others."

Chloe looked deep in his eyes, seeing the sincerity there, before sighing and sitting down, attention returning to the computer. "I can't find any evidence of him being blackmailed but there's evidence that someone managed to hack his computer."

"Can you somehow trace it back to the computer who hacked?" He asked. "I see them do it on tv all the time."

Chloe sent him a look before returning her gaze to the computer. "I'm a little rusty...but let me see what I can do."

* * *

At a gas station a middle-aged blonde woman with leather gloves and a long black coat pumped gas into an SUV. Her cell phone rang and she answered.

"Hello?" Her eyes went blank. "Sure. I can do that."

She hung up the phone and leaned into the car, pressing down the cigarette lighter. The woman pulled out the gas pump and started drenching herself in gasoline, a gas station employee across the way finally seeing her.

"Hey!" He called out in horror. "Lady! What are you doing?!"

She pulled the cigarette lighter out and stepped into the open, holding her arms out. "It's gonna be okay."

She lowered the cigarette lighter to her drenched arm.

"Lady no!" The man yelled. "No!"

Suddenly she burst into flames as the man couldn't do anything but watch in horror.

...

Buffy gasped as she came awake, her heart racing in terror, still able to smell the scent of the woman's burning flesh. She looked around her, disoriented, forgetting for a moment where she was, but then the sound of a stewardess telling a fellow passenger that they'd be landing in the Metropolis airport in half an hour brought her back to the present.

"Buffy?" Giles pulled the earphones away as he eyed her in worry. "Was it another nightmare?"

She nodded, sitting straighter, trying to fix her hair. "It was a woman this time. She set herself on fire. Once again she got a phone call before she went all suicidal."

Giles' eyes narrowed. "I think its safe to say that some sort of mind control is involved."

"Or meteor power." Buffy reminded. "Smallville _is_ filled with meteor infected."

"Right." Giles sighed. "I am unfortunately not well versed when it comes to these...meteor infected."

"We'll figure it out as we go." Buffy smiled.

He eyed her. "Don't you think you're a tad confident and...happy...considering the situation?"

She ducked her gaze, looking away. "I just missed this, who would have thought it?"

Giles eyed her before reaching over to place a hand on her shoulder. "I missed this too."

Smiling, Buffy leaned closer to him and rested her head against his beating heart.

* * *

"From what I hear her name was Holly Becket, she was forty one, and apparently single." Chloe returned from having walked amongst the horrified observers at the gas station. "Do you know who she was?"

Andy shook his head. "No idea." He frowned. "What is it with today and everyone offing themselves? Is it Mass Suicide Monday?"

Chloe opened her mouth to quip when something caught her eye, and she noticed someone slipping into the darkness of the adjoining alley. "Stay here."

Pushing passed Andy, Chloe maneuvered through the crowd quickly, never taking her gaze off of the alleyway, finally freeing herself of the spectators and entering the darkness, eyes narrowing. She gazed around her at the seemingly emptiness, knowing she wasn't alone.

"Oh come on already. I know you're there."

There was a pause, and then someone emerged from behind the dumpster, hoodie covering his face.

Chloe's eyes narrowed. "Who are you and what do you want?"

There was a pause, and then the hoodie was removed to betray green skin, red irises, and blue spines covering his face.

Chloe's eyes widened. "You're a Brachen Demon."

She didn't understand, Branchen Demons were a peaceful sort. What was he doing here? In Smallville? In the middle of a situation that was getting wiggier every couple of minutes?

And since when had Smallville started having such _magical_ issues like witches and demons?

What'd happened to all the meteor infected and their problem-making?

"Smelt you." The Brachen demon tapped his nose. "I didn't know what exactly I was smelling, but the scent was so strong I had to come and see." He frowned. "What exactly are you?"

Chloe frowned, having heard about the Brachen's ability to scent objects with mystical abilities. "What do you mean _what_?"

"You're not human." He replied, not telling her something she didn't already know. "The power-it seeps from your pores-it draws-."

She gulped, the hellmouth energy apparently at work as always.

"What are you?" He whispered again, taking a step towards her.

Seeing movement behind him, Chloe's eyes widened. "Look out!"

The Brachen demon turned around and barely managed to dodge the attack of the larger demon behind him. He hurried back a couple of steps. "What is a Fyarl demon doing in a place like Smallville?"

The demon stood tall, muscular and humanoid with orange skin and protruding shoulders, curved horns sticking out at the sides of his head.

"I could ask the same about a Brachan demon." Chloe narrowed her eyes. "Get out of here."

"But-." The Brachen paused.

"I've got this."

He narrowed his eyes before raising his hoodie and racing out through the back of the alleyway.

The Fyarl didn't pay him any attention, proving that he'd come here for her.

Chloe eyed it, trying to remember everything she knew about this species. The good thing was that they weren't extremely smart. The bad part was that no only were they extremely strong, but Fyarls had the ability of shooting paralyzing mucus from their noses that after drying would become extremely hard and durable...and how horrifying was that? The thought of this thing's boogers all over her was horrifying.

She pushed that thought out of her head and tried to remember if they had any vulnerabilities.

Spike had at some point before she'd met him been served by a pair of Fyarls because even though demons and vampires typically rejected each other, Fyarls were too dimwitted to graph the concept of racism. Due to this Spike knew their language, which to anyone else would only seem like growls and roars. So she doubted trying to question or reason with this demon would do her any good. She'd never really thought learning Fyarl would come useful in the future so she hadn't asked Spike for any pointers. Now she wished she had.

"Okay, I don't want trouble." Chloe held up her hands in a peaceful way. "But you need to get out of Smallville."

The creature, who served as foot soldiers for other demons due to their dim-wittedness yet violence, growled at her three times.

She figured he was talking.

Great.

No Fyarl demon translator in sight.

Seriously though.

First a Brachen demon and then a Fyarl demon?

What the hell was happening?

She knew that she tended to influence the influx of demons wherever she was-but it'd never been this _quick_ before.

What was going on?

Suddenly the Fyarl roared before attacking, charging at her.

Chloe only managed to dodged the attack as she swung around and kicked him away from her, sending him face first into the wall.

The demon snarled and turned towards her, charging once more.

Looking around her, Chloe turned and hurriedly jumped onto the garbage dumpster before flipping over the demon and landing behind him before kicking his legs out from under him and slamming her foot into the back of his head.

The demon roared in agony and grabbed her leg, yanking her down and dragging her closer to him as he brought her calf to his mouth, biting.

Screaming in agony as his teeth pierced her flesh, Chloe used her free foot to kick him in the face, the blow causing him to loosen his grip on her and she was able to crawl away from him, her foot bleeding and throbbing in agony.

The demon rose to its feet.

Chloe did the same, trying to ignore the agony in her bleeding leg.

When the demon charged Chloe did as well, jumping at him and grabbing onto his horns, putting all her weight on her jump, letting gravity work in her favor as he lost balance and fell onto the ground, the blow hurting her knees yet she ignored it as she grabbed the Fyarl's jaws and yelled as she yanked them apart as hard as she could. The creature's eyes widened and he started a scream as his jaw broke. It backhanded her, the blow sending her flying off of him and into the wall, as he grabbed his jaw, almost as if trying to put it back and yet it swung loose.

A little disoriented from the blows she'd suffered and blood loss, Chloe somehow managed to stand up.

"Oh my god."

Chloe's gaze went to the entrance of the alleyway, where Andy Gallagher looked at the demon in utter horror. "Get out of here!"

The demon turned towards Andy and roared, charging him.

Chloe hurriedly climbed up onto the garbage container once more and jumped off, landing on the creature's back, holding him in a choke hold.

The Fyarl turned and slammed them back into the wall.

The oxygen was pushed out of her lungs by the blow.

Andy backed away, knocking over a smaller garbage can, its contents covering the ground.

The Fyarl finally managed to grab the back of her shirt and yank her off, throwing her into the other smaller garbage cans.

It turned its attention to Andy, who was visibly shaking and close to tears, obviously quite in shock.

"Tell it to go away!" Chloe cried.

Andy looked at her in surprise before looking at the demon. "G-Go away!"

Nothing, the creature continued coming at him.

"GO AWAY!" Andy yelled, but the Fyarl grabbed him and threw him violently into the wall.

It didn't work on the demon.

Trying to fight her way to her feet, Chloe's hand found something in the upturned garbage, pulling a broken letter opener.

A silver letter opener.

Clasping her fingers around it, Chloe struggled to her feet.

The Fyarl tried to bite into Andy's neck but his broken and loose jaw was making it impossible, causing the creature to slam Andy back into the wall over and over again.

"Hey ugly!" Chloe yelled.

The creature turned to look at her.

"At _least_ break up with me before fixating on someone else."

The creature threw Andy away before charging her.

Chloe, knowing that with her body the way it was, wouldn't be able to give much more of a fight, so she timed it as best she could, dodging his blow and slamming the broken letter opener into the creature's side.

Spike's voice telling her all about the Fyarl's inability to stand silver tickled her memory as the creature collapsed to the ground before melting in a puddle of goo.

The broken letter opener clattered on the ground.

Chloe leaned hard against the wall, sliding down, tired and in pain.

Andy groaned as he slowly picked himself up before coming towards her, eyes on the goo. "What just happened?"

Chloe didn't answer, instead looking at her leg with a wince. "I need a first aid kit."

He leaned against the wall and slid down next to her. "What the hell _was_ that?"

Chloe looked at the goo before turning to Andy. "Tell me to kiss you."

His eyes widened and he blushed. "W-what?"

"Tell me to kiss you." She ordered.

He gulped, running his hand over his hair before looking at her. "Kiss me."

His voice echoed, she felt the tug on her.

And yet nothing.

"It only works on humans." She whispered, closing her eyes.

"Wait, how do you know about my-and what do you mean only on humans? If it's not working on you then-?" Andy looked at her, eyes wide. "Oh man! You _serious_?"

"First aid kit." She reminded.

"Right. Right." Andy nodded, cringing as he stood and reached for her, helping her up. "I have one in my Pimpmobile."

She refrained from commenting on the name of his van, and was only too happy for his help as they used the back alley and stayed away from the prying human eyes on the other opening of the alleyway, the gas station still smoking and smelling of burnt human flesh.

* * *

"She's not answering." Spike frowned, gaze going to the room his Dark Princess still refused to leave. "It isn't like her not to answer. She knows Dru needs to hear from her or she goes loopier than normal."

From where he was sitting by the fire, Kal raised an eyebrow. "Really Spike, loopier? Never heard you talk about her like that before."

Spike glared at Kal, his face rippling warningly.

"I talked to her earlier." Lucy announced as she stood, trying to diffuse the situation. "Said she was in Smallville. She used to live there before she went to Sunnydale. She probably left her phone in the car after meeting up with someone she knew before and that's why she isn't picking up."

"I can't believe you haven't gotten her back. The soul left her," Kal mumbled.

Spike's face turned fully demonic. "Mind your own fucking business!"

Kal stood, defiant. "Kinda touchy, aren't you, Spike?"

"Enough!" Lucy threw her hands in the air. "We shouldn't be fighting with each other."

"Why? You're not my bloody friends." Spike snapped at them. "You two can get the fuck off of my property before I have my minions have you for dinner!"

"You just try it Spike." Kal snarled. "I'll-."

"Will you two _stop it_!? I miss her too and you don't see _me_ acting like a stupid jerk!" Lucy got in between them. "This isn't important right now. What _is_ important in the business venture we're going on together. Its mutually beneficial for _both_ parties, remember that the next time you both want to kill the other."

Kal and Spike shared looks before sighing, both backing down.

Lucy sighed, rubbing her forehead as Dru began to destroy things in her room.

How did Chloe do this for three whole years without going insane herself?

* * *

"You're really good at this," Chloe mumbled, eyeing her bandaged leg, the painkillers she'd popped already starting to work thankfully as she did some investigating on Andy's laptop. They both laid down on the fur rugs, which were actually quite comfortable.

"Before my gift kicked in I was used to having to go to use a first aid kit." Andy shrugged. "How exactly did you know, anyway? About what I could do? And what did you mean when you said you weren't human?"

Chloe wondered how much to reveal. She still wasn't too sure what part Andy played in all of this.

"I'm not human, I'm half demon." Or she thought she might be. Her father definitely wasn't of the human variety, whomever he might be. "And thanks to that I could feel it when you were using your mind control over the others."

"Was that thing a d-demon?" Andy gulped.

Chloe nodded. "He's one of many different species."

"I only thought demons were something from movies, you know?" Andy shook his leg nervously. "But that thing, it was as real as you and me are. And my back is going to hurt me for _weeks_ as a reminder!" He frowned. "Why was it trying to kill you?"

"I don't know." She admitted. "I try not to take things like that personally though."

Andy looked at her as if she was insane.

She probably was close to it.

The blonde took in a deep breath. "So, you said that your ability 'kicked in'? How long ago did this happen?"

"I don't know, six months maybe?" Andy shrugged. "One day I realized that things happened whenever I spoke to people. It was like a gift, you know? It was like I won the Lotto."

"But you still live in a van." Chloe made a face. "I don't get it, I mean, you could have anything you ever wanted."

Andy eyed her in thought. "I have everything I need. Why would I want more?"

The laptop beeped, and Chloe looked away from him to the screen, raising an eyebrow.

"That's never a good thing." Andy mumbled.

"According to this Holly Becket gave birth when she was eighteen years old, back in 1983. It was the same day you were born." She paused. "I know this will sound ridiculous, but humor me: you wouldn't be adopted, would you?"

Andy scratched his temple. "Well, yeah, I actually am."

"And you never mentioned this before because...?" She made a face.

"When was it relevant before now?" He challenged. "It's not like you meet someone new and go: hi, I'm Andy Gallagher, I'm adopted, never knew my birthparents, wet my bed up till I was eleven, and as of recently can get people to do what I tell them to do'."

Chloe had to admit that he had a point there.

"Forget the whole wetting bed part." Andy smacked his face, cheeks and the tips of his ears reddening.

Chloe smiled at him, amused.

"Wait." Andy yanked his hand from his face. "You don't think this Holly woman could actually be my birth mother, do you?"

"I don't know." Chloe admitted. "I tried getting a copy of the birth records, but they're hard copy only, sealed in the county office."

Andy thought for a moment before looking at her. "How's your leg?"

"Much better now." She replied.

"Up for a tour of the county office tonight?" He asked.

She smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."

With Andy's ability they were able to gain entrance to the records office, the guard unlocking everything for them before going to get a coffee for himself on Andy's suggestion. It was thanks to that that Chloe was able to find the records she was looking for and was able to confirm that Holly Becket not only had been Andy's mother, but that Doctor Jennings had been the doctor who'd overseen the adoption...of her twin sons.

Chloe stood by a printer, waiting for something and watching Andy.

Andy sat with both his hands on his head, staring straight ahead in shock. "I have an evil twin."

"Holly put you and your brother up for adoption." Chloe sighed, reading the papers in her hands. "You went to the Gallagher family, obviously, and your brother went to the Weems family from upstate."

"What was his name?"

Chloe flipped over another page, searching for the answer. "Ansen Weems. He's got a local address."

"He lives here?" Andy asked in shock.

She nodded, patting the printer. "I'm getting his picture coming off from the DMV right now."

"Pete was right." Andy shook his head, looking down at his shoes. "You're incredible at this sort of stuff."

"Just how much has Pete been talking about me?" Chloe mumbled, picking up the papers from the printed, her eyes widening in surprise at what she saw. "Andy?"

"Yeah?" He looked up at her.

"You need to see this." She looked up at him.

Frowning, Andy stood and went to her side, looking down at the page she was eyeing, gaze landing on the picture.

His eyes widened and he looked up in shock. "You've gotta be kidding me. Weber? We look nothing alike!"

"What do you know about him?" Chloe asked.

"I don't know. Not much." Andy went to sit down once more, this being obviously too much for him. "He showed up one day, eight months ago? Acting like he's my best friend in the world. Kinda weird, like, trying too hard, you know?"

"He must have known you guys were fraternal twins." Chloe made a face. "Why did he change his name though? Why not just tell you the truth?"

"Don't ask me." Andy scoffed.

* * *

"Thirty minutes and we'll be in Smallville." Giles announced as he drove their rental car down the lonely stretch of road that was the way to the small town. "I think we must now pause and ponder what to do once we get there. Your Prophetic Dreams haven't been very specific on whom we're dealing with, or what, and where they are."

"Really Giles?" Buffy pouted. "I start being Sight Girl and you complain about my Sightyness?"

"It's not that." He tried to amend.

Buffy opened her mouth to differ when white heat seared through her mind, flashes of a vision coming together into:

...

A girl, wearing only satin lingerie, walked slowly to the side of a ravine. Behind her a sign said: Smallville Dam. Crying, she climbed onto the ledge and looked around. She paused, her eyes begging for help, before looking back and leaping off.

On the ground, body jerking violently, Chloe screamed.

...

Buffy yelled in panic, struggling with her seatbelt and the door.

"Buffy?" Giles frowned. "Buffy! Buffy!"

He stopped the car as Buffy undid her belt and shoved the door open, stumbling out.

Giles hurriedly emerged from his side and ran around to the other side, kneeling down besides her, grabbing her shoulders. "Buffy? What is it?"

She looked up at him, head in agony. "We need to make it to the Smallville Dam, Giles." She grabbed her still throbbing head. "A girl is going to jump off of it...and Chloe's in danger too."

* * *

They'd gone to the coffee shop to find Weber, or Ansen Weems, whoever he was, only to find that he wasn't on duty that night. They'd asked around, hoping that someone knew where he had been heading, and while most of the patrons there and the servers had no idea one of them, a young new girl who blushed repeatedly at Weber's name, mumbled something about hearing Weber talking to Tracy, saying they were going to go visit the Smallville Dam. She obviously thought they were going to hook up, and was telling them this as a way to no doubt interrupt the two of them from getting it on.

"He's got Tracy." Andy was freaking out as they took Chloe's car towards the dam. "If he touches her I'll kill him!"

"I don't understand this." Chloe frowned as she took the turn off. "So far he's only killed people involved in your separation, your mother, your doctor-why go after Tracy?"

"Because I'm in love with her." Andy whispered.

Chloe sent him a look as she started driving up the smaller road towards the Dam. "So he'd see her as a threat as well."

"What sort of sick bastard is he?" Andy was nearly pulling out his hair. "He's not Sharon Stone and I'm not the dude she was with in that movie!"

"He obviously wants a close relationship with you, but considering that I can't understand why he wouldn't come out and just tell you that he's your twin." Chloe's eyes widened as up ahead they could see the car parked, two people backlit inside. She stopped the car and unbuckled. "I need you to stay here."

"I'm coming." Andy frowned. "You're injured and that's _Tracy_."

Chloe looked at him before sighing and reaching under her seat for her crowbar passing it to him. "Get her out and far away from him."

Andy gulped as he looked at it, before taking the crowbar with a nod.

Sighing, Chloe got out of the car, walking towards the one on front. She moved with purposeful strides, trying to ignore the pain in her leg that made her limp slightly. The blonde tried to calculate how to get out of this without getting hurt more, and she could only pray that Weber was as shitty a fighter as Andy. But then again Andy wasn't a killer, and Chloe's luck was never that good, so as she reached Weber's door and felt an immediate tug at her core she grumbled to herself before tapping his window with a smile on her face.

Weber, and Tracy, who was in satin lingerie and crying, both turned towards her.

Weber said something to Tracy, the tears stopped and she smiled, the power tugging at Chloe once more as he turned to face her and rolled down the window. "Can I help you?"

She plastered a saucy smile as she leaned down in a way that made her cleavage more prominent, effectively distracting him as Andy approached the car on the other side. "Hey, sorry to bother, but my car needs a jump start and I was wondering if you could do me?"

Weber smirked at her. "I remember you. You were in the coffee shop."

"Yeah." Chloe continued with the flirty tone despite Tracy being in the car. "Used to live here."

"Thinking about spending time here?" He asked.

"No." She laughed. "Can't wait to leave."

He looked at her, his voice echoing as he spoke, using his ability on her. "You should reconsider it and stay longer."

She'd figured this might happen, and paused, blanking her features slightly before smiling. "You know, you're right, I really should stay a little longer."

Weber smirked.

Suddenly Tracy's door was opened and Andy yanked her out.

Weber turned toward them.

Chloe used the opportunity to open his car door and yank him out, throwing him to the ground and straddling him, pinning his hands to the ground over his head.

"But-but-!" His eyes widened in shock.

She slipped him an evil grin. "Then again, I'm remembering why I left Smallville in the first place."

"Let me go!" He ordered, voice echoing, tugging harder on her source.

"Don't want to." She replied with a childish expression. "And you can't make me."

He looked up at her in shock. " _How_?"

She just winked at him.

Andy held Tracy to him. "How could you?" He growled at Weber. "I'm going to kill you!"

"Andy, get her out of here." Chloe ordered.

Weber stared at Tracy, who elbowed Andy in the mouth of his stomach hard, the unexpected blow causing him to let go of her.

" _Trace_?" Andy coughed.

She backed away, terrified. "I-it isn't me!"

"How are you doing that?" Chloe glared down at Weber.

He smirked. "Practice." His gaze went to where Andy was still trying to catch his breath. "If you'd just practice you would be able to do that to. Sometimes you don't need to use your words. If you have to all you need are your thoughts." He chuckled. "Sometimes the headache's worth it."

"You're a twisted son of a bitch!" Andy struggled to his feet.

"Back off, Andy." Weber warned. "Or Tracy's gonna do a little flying."

Chloe and Andy turned at that in horror to see Tracy standing on the ledge of the Dam.

"Aren't you, Trace?" Weber smiled before turning his attention to Chloe. "Get off of me."

"No." She glared at him. "Remove your thrall from her."

"I said..." Weber stared deep into her eyes. "Get. Off."

The echoing of his voice pierced through her, and Chloe felt the control she kept on her Hellmouth power source, the core in her, rip as he accessed it.

She screamed, letting go of him as she grabbed her head and crumpled to the ground, the pain overwhelming as he started accessing her energy.

"What-is this?" He pushed her off of him. "I feel, powerful. I-I feel like a _god_!"

"Stop it! Let them both go!" Andy yelled.

"Don't be mad at me, Andy." Weber turned to him, dark Hellmouth energy surrounding him. "I know, it's not what I initially wanted. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. It's just...Tracy? She's trying to come between us."

"You're insane." Andy hissed.

Electricity seemed to wrack though Chloe's body as she fought the open connection, tried desperately to close it.

"She's garbage!" Weber snarled, pointing to Tracy. "Man! They all are! We can push them, we can make them do whatever we want!"

"Are you really...are you really this stupid?" Andy shook his head.

"What?" Weber squeaked, voice hurt.

"I mean, you, you learn you've got a twin...you call him up!" Andy snapped. "You got out for a drink! You don't start killing people!"

"I've wanted to tell you for so long, bro. But he didn't let me." Weber told him. "He said I had to wait until the time was..."

"Who?" Andy frowned.

"The man with the yellow eyes." His twin responded.

Chloe looked up at that, recognizing the description.

Azazel.

Azazel was behind all of this somehow.

"What are you talking about?" Andy frowned in confusion.

"He came to me. In my dream." Weber smiled a nostalgic look, darkness crackling around him. "He said I was special. He told me he's got big plans for me. Wait 'till you see what's in store, Andy, for the both of us! See, he's the one who told me I had a brother. A twin."

"Why did you kill our mother?" Andy asked. "Why, and why Dr. Jennings?"

"Because they split us up!" Weber exclaimed, confirming her suspicions. "They ruined our lives, Andy! We could have been together this whole time! Instead of alone! I couldn't, I couldn't let them do that, I couldn't let them get away with that! No!" He turned to Tracy. "I'm going to get rid of each and every one who tries to keep us apart!"

* * *

"What is it?" Dean frowned from where he sat next to Cordelia.

"Something's not right." Sam stood, beginning to pace, unease growing in his chest. "There's Hellmouth energy-." His eyes widened as flashes of Chloe screaming on the ground flashed before his eyes. " _Chloe_."

He erupted into shadows and was gone in the blink of an eye.

* * *

Weber turned to Tracy. "Trace, I think we both know it's time for you to-."

"Tracy don't!" Andy yelled in panic as he took a step towards her, terror filling him. He couldn't lose Tracy! He couldn't!

"Hey! You!" A new voice caused the men to turn to a strawberry blonde and an older gentleman as they arrived on foot. "I give you two seconds to take whatever whammy you have off of that girl and my friend!"

Weber sneered as he turned to her. "Bite off your own tongue."

She raised an eyebrow. "I take that as you wanting to do this the hard way then." And with that she charged, roundhouse kicking Weber back.

Andy didn't understand what going on or how there could be _two_ girls immune to The Voice, but he didn't stop to question his good fortune, instead hurrying to Tracy and yanking her off of the ledge and back to safety.

Tracy was crying, terrified.

Andy held her tightly, unable to believe that he'd almost just lost her.

"Giles!" The strawberry blonde yelled as Weber punched her, seeming to have become incredibly strong and resistant since all those dark shadows had emerged from Chloe and connected with him. "Hellmouth energy!"

"Buffy don't touch him!" Giles yelled back, kneeling as close to the convulsing Chloe as he dared. "He's poisonous!"

Chloe was beginning to be blanketed in a black blanket of shadows.

"He's managed to tap into her energy, but he has no control." Giles continued to yell. "They'll both overload if we can't sever their connection!"

Buffy, in lieu of being able to touch Weber because of this hellmouth energy, be whatever it was, grabbed a sign that read DANGER and...PULLED IT OUT OF THE GROUND.

Andy's eyes widened in shock.

Wow.

Buffy used the sign to smack Weber around, thus avoiding any physical contact.

Suddenly shadows seemed to race in from every direction and united in an explosion of darkness, revealing a tall, buff dude.

Andy's eyes widened. "That's so cool."

The man staggered slightly, shaking his head, before taking in the situation with his eyes narrowed. "Buffy, get him pinned to the ground. I need to transfer the energy back to Chloe and close the bridge between them."

"Sam!" Buffy dodged the punch Weber sent her and slammed the DANGER signed into his face, sending him to the ground. She then threw the sign down on him and pressed down on it with her foot, keeping the struggling man from getting up.

Sam went to where Chloe was and picked her up, the shadow blanket covering her beginning to attach itself to him as he moved to where Weber was. He bent down and grabbed hold of Weber's throat before turning to Chloe and pressing his lips to hers.

Andy held onto Tracy tighter, feeling this was quite the romantic moment and hoping some of the mood would rub off on her.

The darkness and shadows surrounding Weber began to visibly leave him and travel through Sam back into Chloe. The blanket of shadows that'd begun covering Chloe continued its way over Sam, covering his skin as he continued to apparently use himself as a channel to return her 'hellmouth energy' (whatever the hell that was) back to her.

Buffy collapsed to her knees, having had to touch Weber before Giles' warning and apparently suffering somewhat for it.

"Buffy!" Giles hurried to her and frowned. "You've got a slight case of Hellmouth poisoning."

Finally the last of the darkness left Weber and Sam yanked his hand from the struggling, sputtering man, wrapping that arm around Chloe as well.

Suddenly the blanket of darkness began to subside and seemed to be sucked inside of her rapidly as if by a vacuum.

Sam staggered to his feet, pulling Chloe into his arms, the girl asleep. "We need to find a place to sleep off the Hellmouth poisoning."

Andy cleared his throat. "I know some cabanas I could get you guys."

They turned to him, seeming to see him and Tracy for the first time.

"T-thank you." Giles announced, helping a queasy looking Buffy to her feet. "That will be most useful."

"What about Weber?" Tracy asked.

Andy's eyes widened, remembering his twin.

He turned to look at him in time for Weber's body to disintegrate. "What the-?"

"His body wasn't strong enough to contain the Hellmouth energy." Sam announced, shifting Chloe's weight in his arms. "Did you two know him? How was he able to access Chloe's power like that?"

"We thought we knew him." Tracy whispered. "But we really didn't."

Andy pulled off his jacket and covered her with it. "Come on, Chloe's car right over there. I'll take you all to the cabanas and we'll talk more there. I have...lots of questions."

"Our car is down the corner." Giles replied. "We'll follow you."

Andy nodded, gulped, and led the way.

* * *

 **TBC**


	4. Croatoan

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Based on Supernatural Season 2 Episode 9 "Croatoan"

* * *

Due to the fact that everyone was suffering from some degree of Hellmouth poisoning, Chloe, Sam, Buffy and Giles were confined to their cabana for the next couple of days. Buffy quickly healed thanks to her Slayer abilities and took over most of the caregiving, such as cooking and cleaning and generally bossing everyone else while they were down. Giles, who had only gotten a pinch of the poisoning by touching Buffy when she was infected, was the next to heal and did his best to take over the cooking from the Slayer since there was only so much burnt food already sick people could eat. And he did try to reign in Buffy's bossy side, though it led to interesting arguments between Slayer and Watcher that Chloe and Sam secretly called the Mommy-Daddy-Fights as they acted like an old married couple.

Despite being sore and weak, Chloe was glad for what had happened. Not only had it proven to her that there were others out there who could access her Hellmouth energy other than Sam, but this had been a good way to see Buffy once more. The Slayer was over-mothering Chloe, and while usually the blonde would be annoyed by such she understood that this was Buffy's own way of taking care of Chloe now that she could and 'atone' for that day three years ago when she couldn't. So Chloe let Buffy get her overprotective mothering out of her with every burnt breakfast and refusal to let Chloe do the littlest things by herself.

The solitude, as she couldn't let the house and risk infecting anyone else who got close enough to brush against her, did Chloe wonders as she was able to actually sit down and talk to Buffy, Sam, and Giles. The four of them conversed, filling in each other on the way their lives had gone on during the last three years, and Chloe knew that by the time she could mingle with humans again things would be on the road to recovery.

Cordelia and Dean were taking a plane to come and see them (Cordelia swearing that if she had to drug Dean to get him onto the plane she would) and they would be spending the long weekend with them.

Andy stopped by every day to hang out and talk to the four. He made sure to stay by the door and never touch anyone as to not get infected himself, but he made himself useful whenever Buffy got bossy with him and he always had a bad joke to offer.

"So, I'm leaving Smallville." Andy surprised them by announcing. "Today."

"Really?" Giles blinked in surprise as he sipped some of his tea. "Is there a reason why?"

"I realized that this gift is more than just a really cool fluke, that there's still so much I need to understand about myself to keep from becoming like Weber," Andy announced, shaking his head. "I mean it's an addictive gift, I don't want it taking over me and making me crazy. Like the meteor infection did the meteor freaks."

"Whatever happened to them?" Chloe frowned from where she sat on the sofa next to Sam, twisting the claddagh ring Angel had given her on her birthday around her finger. She still wore it with the heart facing towards her despite Angel having left her, and no matter how much she tried to remind herself that he was gone, she just couldn't bring herself to taking off the ring. It was a if she felt that if she did that then what they had would really be over.

It made her feel quite pathetic, actually.

But she felt a little better that she'd moved it from her left hand to her right hand, and thus lessened the significance of her wearing it.

Then again, no matter how much she tried to convince herself of that fact, what spoke stronger was the fact that she couldn't take it off completely. Didn't want to.

"Who? The meteor freaks?" Andy made a face. "I don't know. They just... _disappeared_." He scratched his cheek. "There were whispers though that they'd been rounded up like cattle and shipped off somewhere but no one really knows what really happened. They could have all just decided that they hated it here and left for greener pastures."

Chloe frowned, leaning forwards.

"That sounds very convenient to me." Buffy made a face. "I've learnt in life that usually the ugliest explanation is the true one."

"But who would be rounding up meteor freaks and _why_?" Sam wanted to know. "From your stories Chlo, they were rather dangerous. Who would go to the risk to round them up like that? And for what purpose?"

"I don't know." Chloe hugged herself, rubbing her arms. "But I don't like this."

"We could take a look into it if you want." Sam offered, sending her a look. "I could always do with some exercise for my hacking techniques."

"Thanks." Chloe smiled at him.

"Don't mention it." He smiled back.

Andy cleared his throat before standing. "So I just wanted to say thanks, and goodbye."

"I'd hug you but-." Chloe motioned to herself. "I mean it should be gone by now but I don't want to push it, especially with your own ability calling to it."

"Right. I understand." Andy nodded.

"But you have our numbers and you should use them in the future," Sam reminded.

"Have I mentioned how much I like your boyfriend?" Andy asked Chloe.

Her eyes widened. "He's not my-."

"Oh!" Andy interrupted, not seeming to realize his mistake. "I met up with Pete today and I _might_ have let it slip that you were still in town."

The blonde winced.

"He and Lana are having dinner at the Kents and say that you and your friends are invited. They all want to see you and catch up." Andy cringed. "I'm sorry, it just slipped out."

Chloe nodded. "I'll do it." She smiled. "I haven't seen Pete or the Kents in a long time."

"Good!" Andy gave her two thumbs up. "Because I might have already told him that the four of you would love to go."

Buffy groaned, leaning her head back against the sofa.

"Well, goodbye. And thanks." Andy smiled before leaving.

The group called their goodbyes before the conversation went to the dinner which would be taking place that night.

"Who are these Kents?" Giles asked curiously.

"They're Clark's parents, right?" Buffy asked, pulling a strawberry blonde strand behind her ear. "Or his adopted parents? Something like that right?"

"Adopted parents." Chloe nodded. "And he goes by Kal now."

"Right." Buffy made a face. "Do they know he's gone all Thiefy?"

"Not sure, so we should probably keep all conversation about him to a minimum." Chloe responded. "If they ask we're highschool friends. Pete knows a little about my situation because Clark told him before he went all Kal, but I doubt Lana or the Kents know so let's just pretend we're normal for one evening."

"I'm down with that." Sam nodded.

"Normal. That'll be easy." Buffy agreed. "We've had years of experience faking it."

"Yes, just as long as nothing horrible happens tonight everything should be quite fine." Giles wiped his glasses, before sensing the looks he was getting and putting the glasses back on. "What?"

"You just _had_ to go and jinx us!" Chloe gasped.

"Bad form Giles." Sam shook his head.

Buffy sighed, patting the Watcher's back. "When this blows up in our faces, we're blaming you."

* * *

"Hellmouth poisoning?" Spike frowned as he walked down a Brazilian beach, the moonlight bathing him in its splendor. Things with Dru had gotten worse and worse and he'd hoped getting out of Europe would help things get better, and yet Spike could feel his Dark Princess slipping out of his grasp with every passing night. "What the bloody hell?"

"I'm fine." Chloe assured him, sounding like she was fussing with something. "It's basically completely out of my system and I'm going to a dinner with Kal's adoptive human parents. Also, with his ex girlfriend and her husband, his other bestie from childhood, Pete."

He bit back a growl, resentful that she was having a good time despite Angel's disappearance while he himself was growing more and more miserable despite Dru's proximity.

As always, she somehow knew, and sighed. "What about you, Spike? How are you doing? How are things with Dru?"

He hesitated, turning to look at the sea. "Not so good."

She sighed deeper. "Oh Spike. I'm sorry. Do you want me to talk to her?"

"I think it might be better if you don't speak to her much, for now, ducks." He admitted, sitting down on the sand, watching the waves. "Every time she hears from you she gets restless and even more unstable."

"I'm sorry."

"Stop bloody apologizing." He grumbled, taking out a fag and lighting it, taking in a deep whiff. "I should be sorry for you. You're stuck in bloody Smallhell while I'm in one of the liveliest places in the world."

She was smiling, he could hear it in her voice. "Send me a postcard."

He snorted. "I don't have time for that sort of trivial nonsense."

"Oh you don't, do you?" She was mocking him, and it shocked him to realize how much he'd missed it. "What exactly is Spike the Bloody, Master Vampire, doing that is keeping him so busy? Should I be buying newspapers or watching CNN?"

"Nothing like that luv, can't you trust me to be a good boy?"

"Of course not." She snorted.

He chuckled. "You know me too well Nibbles."

"I try." She replied. "I'm sending you a picture, what do you think?"

He made a face, pulling his phone away and looking at the picture sent to him. Chloe had obviously taken it of herself, the angle of the camera betraying it, and she seemed a little awkward in the little purple dress with a ruffled bottom half which reached her knees, and boots. "I like the boots."

"Only the boots?" She was pouting, he could tell that as well.

"Don't tempt me, Nibblet."

There was silence before she sighed. "I miss you guys."

Spike hated this. "Then get your bloody ass to Brazil."

"You know I can't." She responded. "I owe it to my father to be a daughter to him, and-."

"And you don't want to bloody live with us if you don't have to." Spike responded, annoyance and anger and resentment growing in him. "Admit it. You only tolerated Dru and I because Angelus was there!"

"Spike!" She gasped. "You know that's not true!"

"I don't know a bloody thing anymore." He spat. "The only thing I _do_ know is that you better not bloody call me again!"

With that he crushed the phone in his fist and threw it into the sea.

* * *

As Chloe emerged from the cabana for the first time since Sam had taken her inside, she pulled Angel's leather jacket tighter over her, appreciative that no one commented on her wearing it. Her father and Jenny had dropped off some clothes for her and Buffy from Chloe's own closet when they'd heard what'd happened, and Andy had appeared with some clothes in Giles and Sam's sizes which he'd managed to have given to him by some 'kind' stores. It was thanks to that that Giles did not have his trademark tweed on, and seemed quite uncomfortable because of it. That was probably why he was taking his time to emerge from the house, employing Sam in a search for his bowtie.

"I can't believe he's stressing over his bowtie." Buffy shook her head before smirking. "It's kinda cute."

Chloe twisted her lips in a wry smile, amused to see that three years hadn't ended the Slayer's crush on her Watcher. She was about to comment on this when her gaze noticed something carved into the tree next to the car. It was a single word.

CROATOAN.

As she approached the tree Chloe ran her fingers over the carved words.

"What is it?" Buffy asked, hugging herself as she joined her side.

"Croatoan." Chloe mumbled.

"And?" Buffy made a face. "Is that supposed to mean something?"

"Yeah." Off of Buffy's blank look Chloe frowned. "Roanoke? Lost colony?"

"Never heard of it." Buffy shrugged.

Chloe shook her head and returned her attention to the carved word. "Roanoke was one of the first English colonies in America, circa the late 1500s. They just disappeared without a trace. The only thing left behind was a single word carved in a tree. Croatoan."

With this backstory Buffy's eyes narrowed on the words. "Okay, that's wiggy. Did they ever figure out what it meant or what happened to the settlers?"

"No, though there were a lot of theories." Chloe admitted. "Indian raid, disease, but no one could really prove anything. No one knew anything. There were no records, no thing. They just up and vanished overnight."

"It could be a huge coincidence." Buffy hugged herself tighter. "It's not like the whole of Smallville has disappeared overnight or anything."

"The meteor infected community has." Chloe whispered.

Buffy looked up at that, eyes wide.

Chloe pulled out her phone and began dialing Sam's number when she realized something. "There's no signal."

Buffy tried her own phone. "Same here."

The girls exchanged looks before moving towards a pay phone, which Chloe picked out, an out of service beep loud and proud as she clicked the receiver several times. "Line's dead." She hung up, frowning as she turned to the Slayer. "I'll tell you one thing. If Angelus was gonna massacre a town, that'd be his first step."

"Who is stepping where?" Giles asked as he and Sam finally emerged from the cabana.

"Giles, what is the Watcher Council's official stance on the lost colony of Roanoke?" Chloe turned towards him.

Giles frowned, pausing as he fumbled with his bowtie. "W-well, nothing has ever been proven to be the reason of their disappearance, paranormal or not, but there are so many civilizations that have just disappeared overnight-The Indus Valley Civilization of Pakistan, The Khmer Empire of Cambodia, The Anasazi of New Mexico, and The Aksumite Empire of Ethiopia are just mere examples of such-and there is a theory, although quite obscure...that Croatoan may, in fact, be the name of a demon."

"This is just getting better a better." Buffy mumbled.

"Why are we talking Croatoan?" Sam asked curiously, hands shucked in his jacket's pocket.

Chloe pointed towards the tree with the word carved into it.

His eyes narrowed. "It could be a joke."

"Does your cell have signal?" Chloe asked.

He pulled it out and flipped open the lid. "No."

"No one does. There's no signal in the pay phone either." Buffy informed. "Chloe thinks the disappearance of the meteor freaks in Smallville might have something to do with it."

"I might be overreacting, but it's some what of a coincidence don't you think?" The blonde looked between them. "After tonight's dinner with the Kents maybe we could do some old fashion Scooby-Gang investigating."

Buffy smiled. "That sounds interesting."

"We don't exactly have any reference material with us here." Giles pointed out. "My Codexes and such are in California."

Chloe turned to Sam.

"Sorry," he flinched. "With all the teleporting I've been doing and the interaction with the raw Hellmouth energy my body's fatigued. Can't do any magic. I couldn't even levitate a pencil if I wanted to."

"That's okay, I shouldn't get used to relying on magic anyway. It'll make me lazy." She gave him a smile before taking in a deep breath. "You know what? Don't worry, I'm probably just drawing at straws." She turned and walked towards her car, feeling the Watcher, Slayer, and Witch watching her with frowns on their faces.

* * *

If only for a second, Sam could close his eyes and imagine having parents like Jonathan and Martha Kent. He wondered how differently his and Dean's lives would have been if they'd been raised by the loving and friendly people. They were warm and inviting and made you feel as if their house was truly your home. There was a genuine goodness about these people that seemed hard to believe at first, especially since he'd long ago been jaded by this world, but it was the few people like Jonathan and Martha who gave Sam some hope for the future and for the world in general.

And yet while Sam enjoyed himself as they congregated around the living room while waiting for the remaining guests to arrive, he couldn't help but watch Chloe as she talked with Martha. Jonathan was busy with Giles and Buffy, and Sam supposed he should be participating more in that conversation as well, but his eyes followed Chloe as she helped Martha set up the table, the two laughing softly. It was easy to imagine a teenage Chloe, before all the Hellmouth craziness, spending her time here with these people. She'd confessed before how she'd secretly adopted Martha as her mother figure after her own mother left, and Sam could see that the woman had basically adopted her as well. There was mutual love and respect in their eyes as they spoke to each other, tenderness in their every feature.

For the first time since she'd returned Chloe didn't look haunted by memories of what she'd seen and done, of what she'd become during her stay with Angelus and his childer, instead laughing fully, grinning brightly, her greens shining.

Sam smiled softly as he stared at her.

She turned, sending them a quick glance over her shoulder and smiled at him when she caught his gaze, giving a little wave.

Sam gave a little wave back.

Suddenly the sound of a vehicle racing towards them cut into the afternoon, Jonathan Kent frowning as he went towards the window and pulled the curtain across. "Why's Pete driving like the devil's on his tail?"

The sound of doors slamming shut could be heard.

"The _hell_?" Jonathan's eyes widened before he rushed to the door, tearing it open. "What happened?"

Sam and Buffy shared a look, the two making out of the door seconds after the other, finding an African American guy and an Asian American woman shouldering the weight of a very beat up woman.

"What happened to her?" Giles asked in shock behind them.

"She needs to go to the hospital." Jonathan met them, replacing the pretty Asian American as he shouldered the woman's weight.

"We couldn't make it." The man, who must be Pete, declared. "There's blockades everywhere, and they're shooting at people."

" _What_?" Martha gasped in horror.

"We barely made it here." The woman, who had to be Lana, hurried passed them, eyes wide in terror. "People are going insane!"

Buffy frowned, turning to look at Chloe.

Sam's gaze went the blonde, who was clenching her hands into fists at her sides. He knew without having to delve into her mind what she was thinking. At the moment she was blaming herself for whatever was going on, blaming herself because wherever she went Hellmouth energy rose and affected those around her. It probably hadn't bothered her too much while she'd been living with Angelus and his childer, considering they were demons and living in a demonic society themselves, but now she was back amongst humans and they were very frail creatures. They must seem frailer to her now that she'd lived amongst monsters for so long.

"We need to go check it out." Buffy announced, letting out a little breath as she used the hairband she'd had around her wrist to put her strawberry blonde locks up into a high ponytail.

"I'm coming with you." Sam announced, descending the steps and turning to Giles, placing his hand on the man's shoulder. "Help them lock down the place in case of anything."

Giles nodded, hurrying back up the steps passed Chloe, who held her arm, ignoring the commotion behind them as Lana and Martha tended to the injured woman while Pete, Jonathan and Giles drew together to talk low, casting worried looks around them while Pete informed them more of what was going on.

"Keep an eye on them?" Sam sent the blonde girl, feeling her desire to join them, or just leave entirely and maybe take the problem with her.

Chloe was silent before giving a little nod, her greens on him and Buffy. "Don't be heroes."

"This is pure reconnaissance for right now." Buffy assured her before turning to Sam and motioning with her head. "Let's go."

* * *

"I can't believe Angus attacked you and Jake helped!" Martha's hands trembled as she tended to Beverly Tanner's wounds as the two women sat on the living room sofa. "They're your husband and son!"

"They beat me." Beverly nodded slowly, painfully, face battered. "Tied me up and cut themselves before cutting me up too with the same knife. I'm scared to think of what would have happened if Lana and Pete hadn't come over to bring Angus back his hammer."

"I can't believe it." Martha's voice trembled as much as her hands, the gentle-spirited woman obviously horrified beyond composure. "What is going _on_?"

"Do you have any idea _why_ they would act this way?" Giles asked, ever the researcher desperate for answers. "Any history of chemical dependency?"

"No, of course not." Beverly shook her head, eyes turning to him. "I don't understand why they would-." Her voice choked with emotion before she cleared it and tried once more. "One minute they were my husband and my son. And the next, they had the devil in them."

"So you believe your son and husband were possessed by demonic entities?" Giles asked in all seriousness.

" _What_?" Beverly stared up at him in shocked confusion.

Lana sat on the loveseat, chewing her thumbnail in nerves.

Jonathan and Pete were at the windows, staring out, keeping guard.

"What are you thinking?" Chloe frowned as she stared at the Englishman, folding her arms over her chest. "That this is an Spirit Demon, or, uh, _Animus_ Demon possessing human bodies?"

"What are they saying?" Beverly turned to Martha, who just patted her on her knee and stared up at them with wide eyes as well.

Giles, obviously realizing that they were traumatizing those within, motioned with his head towards the door.

Chloe understood, storming towards it and ignoring the others' cries for them not to go outside, hurrying out the door and down the steps.

Behind her Giles assured everyone they'd' be fine and back in a couple of minuets, before closing the door behind him and hurrying down the steps to join her out in front. "You said that when you came here you found two demons."

"A Fyarl and a Brachen." Chloe nodded. "The Brachen said he was here because he could sense me and didn't know what I was. The Fyarl growled and then attacked me." She ran fingers through her hair. "What if whatever's happening is my fault? Because I've stayed here too long?"

"When you were in Europe, was the escalation in Hellmouth activity this rapid?" The man asked, eyes narrowed.

"I lived amongst demons, I'm not sure." She frowned, beginning to pace. "I-I don't think so though. But I can't say for sure."

"While we can't discredit that your presence might be an underlying factor, you must also remember that Smallville has been a hotbed of paranormal activity from before your birth." Giles pointed out all rationally. "Whatever's happening could have nothing to do and your-ability to raise hell per se."

Chloe bit her bottom lip as she turned to face him. "What do we do?"

"Considering both the cell towers and landlines seem to be down, and not even the internet is working, we are in no way able to call for help unless someone drives out for it." Giles' eyes widened as his gaze went to the cars and he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Someone should go to Grandsville at least to warn the authorities-or Metropolis if whatever this outbreak is has reached the outlying districts." He took in a deep breath. "We won't do anything until Buffy and Sam return though."

"Are you thinking Animus Demons? The ones that possess humans because once they escape Anima-their home hell region-they lose their corporal bodies?" Chloe made a face. "Because if you are you should know that I Christo'd her and there was zero reaction."

"Animus Demons very _rare_." Giles made a face. "The Council never were able to determine exactly how many of them there really were due to the fact that they worked quite covertly. Attacking a whole town like this would be completely out of character for their species."

"So, is that good news?" Chloe made a face.

"I don't have the vaguest." He admitted, making up a face, sending a glance to the house before returning his attention to her. "I just can't help but think about the CROATOAN you found carved on the light post and the fact that all methods of communication are conveniently gone." He narrowed his eyes. "Like you said, this would be one way of taking out a town."

"It'd can't be an Animus Demon though." Chloe was sure of this. "She didn't _blink_ when I Christo'd her. And you _know_ that for some reason they have a weakness when it comes to that religious stuff."

"Whatever it is, demonic or not, _something_ is apparently turning the townspeople of Smallville into violent psychopaths." Giles frowned.

"Are you thinking this mightn't be demon related?" Chloe asked in surprise, not having even thought of the possibility.

"It could be meteor related." Giles nodded, turning his shrewd gaze on her. "Those rumors of the Meteor Freaks being rounded up and taken somewhere? This could be a consequence of that. A culmination of whatever sinister agenda was afoot-or just pure vengeance for whatever was done to them."

Chloe narrowed her eyes at the added threat she hadn't even considered.

"Or, this mightn't be as horrible as it sounds and we're all overreacting." Giles tried hopefully. "This whole situation might be completely blown out of proportion."

The earth shook with an explosion that sent them to the ground, the night sky lighting up with inferno.

"I hope that wasn't Buffy's doing," Giles mumbled.

Chloe turned to look in the direction of the fiery inferno. "That was the LuthorCorp facility."

The sound of tires screeching on asphalt betrayed the truck before the vehicle turned the corner and the headlights shone in their direction, shots echoing in the air.

"Oh dear god." Giles murmured before hurrying to his feet and pulling Chloe with him, hurrying up the stairs and into the house in time for Jonathan to slam the front door shut and a bus hot to hit it, sending wood flying.

"EVERYONE ON THE GROUND!" Chloe screamed as all around them things exploded, shots raining in on the house, hoots and hollering echoing laughingly.

A shard of glass flew through the air and sliced her cheek, the sting shocking, causing her to cry out in pain.

Pete laid half on top of Lana, covering her body with his as their fingers clasped each other tightly.

Jonathan had been too far from Martha to do the same, but his gaze was on her worriedly as she laid on the ground next to Beverly.

Giles' glasses had tumbled off of his face with the dive he'd given, and were a couple of feet away from him, mixed in with the shattered glass from the broken windows.

The truck continued to circle around the house, and the only good thing was that they were wasting bullets shooting up the house and thankfully not those cowering inside.

Chloe lay on the ground, her fingernails digging into the wooden floor as glass and wood and other assorted debris rained down on her, closing her eyes tightly to keep particles from falling into her eyes.

Beverly cried loud enough for Chloe to hear it over the demented yells and gunshots.

Finally the gunshots stopped as the truck came to a screeching stop.

"Reckon anyone's alive?" Someone laughed.

"It's Red, and he's probably with his boys." Martha whispered to Jonathan.

Chloe turned to look at the man of the house, everyone still keeping to the ground as those outside laughed and hooted and hollered. "Are there any weapons in this house? Guns?"

He shook his head. "We don't believe in violence."

"Great." The blonde groaned, gaze going to the door. "They're going to come through there any minute now and we need to be prepared when they do."

Giles turned to Martha. "Is there a cellar or some other place that you and the others can hide in?"

Martha nodded, sending Jonathan a quick look before turning to Beverly when he nodded. "Honey. We're going to crawl towards the cellar, okay?"

"We're all going to die!" Beverly cried loudly.

"No, we're not." Martha assured her. "But I need you to come with me and hold it together, okay? I know tonight's been a horrible night, but I promise you, we'll make it out of this alive."

Beverly continued crying, obviously not believing Martha, but she followed the lovely redhead nonetheless as they began crawling silently towards the back.

"I'm not leaving." Lana whispered to Pete, their foreheads pressed together.

"Lana…" he whispered. " _Please_ don't fight me in this."

She gave a little cry before reaching up and pressing a kiss to his lips before crawling after the other women.

Jonathan turned to Chloe.

She cut him off before he could begin. "You mightn't believe in violence, Mr. Kent, but _I_ do."

"Believe me," Giles murmured as he lay on his back, eyes darting around them shrewdly. "You want her here."

Jonathan didn't seem like he agreed with that at all.

Pete slowly crawled towards them. "What's the game plan?"

"Knives." Chloe turned to her childhood friend, finally able to say one word to him since he'd arrived. "Can you make it to the kitchen and gather all the knives you can find while keeping low and out of sight?"

"We'll need someone keeping an eye on the back door as well." Giles reminded her. "They might try coming in through the back."

"I doubt it." Chloe shook her head. "How they're attacking-they're all on the offensive, in an in-your-face sorta way. They're going to want to come in the front and make a big show about it." She took in a deep breath. "They like the intimidating factor of the siege. Probably get off on it."

"How could you know this?" Jonathan asked her.

She flinched. "Let's just say I know the type." The blonde turned to Pete. "Hey."

"Hey." He gave a little chuckle, reaching out his hand towards her.

The blonde squeezed his hand tightly, the friends smiling softly at each other.

Another series of gunshots shattered the moment, and the last intact glass.

"Knives. Right." Pete hissed, letting go of her hand and beginning to crawl towards the kitchen.

One of the men outside laughed. "This here truck belongs to the Rosses." His laughter turned dark. "I always wanted to give that pretty little asian girl the ride of her life."

Jonathan's eyes narrowed.

"We all shall!" Red announced. "Kill the men first. Save the women for last so we can _all_ show them what they've been missing."

"Someone should stand guard in front of the cellar door, just in case." Giles whispered.

Jonathan turned to Chloe.

She ignored him and his fatherly need to get her out of the line of trouble, crawling closer towards the window and finally standing in the shadows, peering discreetly out of the window. "I see five guys. All of them have guns."

Giles finally reached for his disaccorded glasses and placed his on his face. "What else can you see?"

"Their eyes…" Chloe whispered. "They're glowing green."

"You think _kryptonite_ is to blame?" Jonathan hissed.

"You are referring to the meteor rocks which mutated some of the civilians, yes?" Giles clarified.

"The one and only." Chloe slowly lowered to the ground once more, eyeing the living room, trying to figure out what she could use as a weapon.

"HEY JONATHAN!" Red yelled inside. "YOU DEAD YET?"

Reaching out for a large shard of shattered glass, Chloe tore at the curtain and wrapped in around the bottom half of it before tying it tightly and stuffing it into her jacket's pocket.

"What are you thinking?" Giles asked, eyes narrowed on her.

"I'm thinking we need some of those guns," Chloe whispered back. "How good of a shot are you?"

"You're looking at the Watchers' Council Sharpshooter Champion five years running," he replied, not without a little pride.

Chloe's lips twitched.

"You can't be thinking of shooting them!" Jonathan hissed. "Those are our neighbors!"

"Mr. Kent, your neighbors are planning on killing you and gang raping your wife," Chloe reminded. "It's you or them."

Jonathan looked away, obviously still troubled morally.

The girl ignored him, wondering where Pete was with the knives, before slowly raising up to peer out of the window once more. " _Shit_. They're coming."

"We can't take on seven armed men," Giles hissed. "Not with our bare hands."

"Where's Pete?" Chloe hissed before sending another quick look out of the window and hissing. "Goddamn it!" Closing her eyes, Chloe took in a deep breath before forcing her voice wobbly, employing a tactic she hadn't had to use in a _while_. "PLEASE! PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!"

The sounds of the footsteps stopped. "Do you recognize the voice?"

" _PLEASE_!" Chloe's voice shook with terror while her eyes spoke with Giles, the blonde letting out a little sigh as she stood and moved into the window, hands up. " _Please_. I won't tell anyone you're the ones who killed everyone. So _please_ , don't hurt me!"

"Now who do we have here?" One of the guys asked, motioning to her with his gun. "Come out here so we can get a better view of you darling."

"What are you _doing_?" Jonathan hissed in worry to her.

Chloe ignored him, heading towards the door and slipping out, closing it behind her as she lowly walked out into the porch amidst catcalls and hoots. " _Please_ , just let me go." She kept her hands up, taking slow steps down off the porch and into the moonlight. "I just wanna go home."

"Don't I know you?" One of the guys asked, his glowing eyes on her. "Didn't you go to school with me?"

She nodded, recognizing him from Calculus.

"You were always so damned mouthy…let's see if you still all-mouth." He grinned brightly as he threw down his gun and began working urgently on his belt buckle. "I want first have at her."

Keeping her hands up, Chloe's gaze went to the four other men, some of them lowering their guns and chuckling as they rubbed themselves over the material of their pants.

As he came towards her, pants dropping to his ankles, Chloe quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out the shard of glass, slicing his throat before flinging the shard towards the man farthest from her, the glass imbedding itself in his face as he yelled.

Guns came up quickly and Chloe pushed the youngest guy into the closest man, offsetting him and causing his shot to go completely off-course, blowing the leg off of one of his friends.

Gunshots rang and she threw herself to the ground, twirling and grabbing a rock, throwing it at one of them in the balls before standing and grabbing the one she'd offset, using his body as a shield as three gunshots fired in her direction. The bullets hit the man in front of him, and as he sagged forwards she grabbed his discarded weapon and shot the two closest to her. She really hadn't had much practice with guns as she had with other weapons, but basically with a gun one aimed and shot, and the men staggered, yet didn't go down.

The two remained standing, both holding their guns at her.

Chloe kicked up one of the other's discarded guns and held it in her free hand, pointing a weapon at each of the men.

"The _fuck_ are you?" Red snarled, spitting out chewed tobacco. "Xena?"

Chloe's answer was to pull the triggers and then duck, her shots finding their marks and the men collapsing to the ground, their shots missing her by inches.

The front door was flung open.

The blonde remained crouched on the grass, amongst the bleeding, injured men. Some were dead, some were dying, and others were cursing her while some others cried.

Chloe closed her eyes and shook it off before slowly rising in time for Pete to reach her.

"Are you okay?"

One of the men reached for his gun to shoot Pete.

Chloe aimed and shot, her bullet piercing his forehead, killing him instantaneously.

Pete turned, eyes wide as he realized just how close he'd been to dying.

Giles arrived and sent her an enquiring look, before beginning to search the weapons after receiving her nod.

Jonathan just stood staring at the dead men in horror.

"This is the only one that has some ammo left." Giles retrieved a pistol. "And there isn't much."

"What about the ones you have?" Pete asked her.

Chloe passed him them to check, not liking guns or the cowardice of using them. She'd grown too used to the demonic way of doing things, in which the fights were physical, up close and personal.

The blonde slipped into Red's truck and grabbed the radio she'd suspected was there due to the small antenna, but like everything else in Smallville communications-wise it wasn't working.

She closed her eyes and let out a little growl before slamming the radio back into the receiver and slipping out of the truck, slamming the door shut viciously as she returned to where the men were.

"Radio's crapped out just like everything else. There is _no way_ to call for help."

She just couldn't look at Jonathan anymore, not after he'd seen her like this, so she avoided glancing in his very direction, turning her gaze on Giles.

"I don't understand what's happening." Pete ran his hand over his head, having discarded one of the guns she'd passed him. "Sure, we've had problems in Smallville before, but not to this degree!"

Somewhere in town, something exploded again.

Giles stared at it before frowning in worry. "Buffy and Sam should be back by now."

Yet more gunshots rang in the air, thankfully a distance away from the countryside home.

Chloe ran her fingers through her hair. "Someone needs to go get help."

"How far is it to the next town?" Giles turned to Jonathan.

Clark's father finally tore his haunted gaze from the dead bodies to look at the Englishman. "It's about forty miles down to Grandsville."

"Alright, you, your wife and the others need to go down there, tell people what's going on, and find someone to help." Giles declared. "Chloe and I will stay here and wait on the others, see what we can do."

Chloe nodded.

Giles held the pistol out to the man of the house. "You'll need this more than we will."

Jonathan looked down at the pistol, looking very much like he wanted to reject it, before finally reaching out and taking it silently from Giles.

A scream echoed from the house.

Everyone turned towards the Kent's home before racing inside.

"MARTHA?" Jonathan spearheaded the race as he hurried to the entrance to the cellar and threw the door open, hurrying down inside.

Pete was the second after him, and Giles the next.

By the time Chloe finally made it downstairs it was to see the men struggling to contain a vicious Beverly, whose eyes glowed neon green.

Martha and Lana were huddled in the corner, terrified and holding each other.

"What happened?" Chloe asked in horror, reaching down to the bottom stairs.

"I don't know!" Lana whispered, voice trembling. "She just started saying she wasn't feeling good and then her eyes started glowing and she attacked us!"

The men continued struggling to contain the cursing, hissing, and fighting woman.

Chloe stared into those eyes before hers widened. "We have a big problem."

"No shit." Pete struggled, groaning.

"No…we have a _very_ big problem." Chloe began to pace the room. "Whatever this thing is, it's _infectious_."

They turned to look at her.

"We could _all_ be infected." Chloe whispered.

Lana and Martha held each other tighter.

* * *

The whole town was like some apocalyptic movie. Places were being looted, people were attacking each other, and things were in a total chaos. Many of the nights had been destroyed, casting shadows on the town, and while it made everything all that more dangerous, Sam and Buffy were able to use that to their advantage as they snuck around without being seen. The young man went up behind a wrecked car, as he did with every one they'd come against, checking to make sure that there wasn't anyone hurt inside. Thankfully, like with the others, there was no one inside, but the windows were smashed and blood covered the seats. On the ground, by the driver's side, was a large, bloody knife.

He picked it up, staring at the stained blade. "What the hell is _going on_?"

"It's like every drank from the same Crazy Koolaid and have gone completely _psycho_." Buffy kept her gaze around them narrowed, alert, her stance defensive and ready to fight. "My Spidey Senses aren't doing their thing though-and that's scary cuz they _really_ should."

Sam tried the key in the ignition, the engine purring to life. "They didn't leave this because it stopped working."

"I have a pretty good idea about why they're not here." Buffy muttered, gaze on a severed arm in the middle of the road. "Is this Quentin Tarrantino's wet dream or _what_?"

"We need to get back to the farm." Sam straightened, leaning against the car as he turned to Buffy. "We need to pile into the cars and get the _hell_ out of here."

"What about the others here?" Buffy wanted to know, worry on her face. "The civilians?"

Sam wondered if he should be worried by the fact that he hadn't even thought to consider the other innocents who were trapped in this situation. "We can't save everyone, Buffy."

"But we can _try_." Buffy pressed. "We can't just-."

"How many people have we snuck around since coming here?" Sam frowned. "How many of them haven't had glowing green eyes?"

The Slayer opened her mouth and then closed it, expression troubled.

"We have to assume that there mightn't be another person in this town who isn't infected with whatever this is."

Suddenly Buffy saw motion out of the corner of her eyes and turned in time for a man to step out of the alleyway, brandishing a rifle which was aimed at them.

"HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!" He yelled as he stepped closer carefully.

His eyes…they weren't glowing.

"Okay!" Buffy held her hands up slowly.

Sam dropped the knife he'd been holding, rising his hands slowly. "Easy there, we're not like the others. Look at our eyes."

"They're not glowing funky neon green." Buffy agreed, keeping her hand up. "Everyone who's insane-."

The man didn't let her finish the sentence, slowly lowering his rifle. "Have damn glow in the dark eyes, yes." He looked around him before turning to them. "What's going on with everybody?"

"Hell if we know." Sam frowned as he lowered his hands, looking around. "You're the first person we've come across who doesn't have the glowing eyes."

The man nodded. "My neighbor, Mr. Rogers, he-."

"You have a neighbor named Mr. Rogers?" Buffy asked in surprise.

"Not anymore." He replied pointblank. "He came at me with a hatchet. I put him down." The man ran his shaking hand over his head. "He's not the only one, I mean, it's happening to everyone. I tried to get the hell out of here but there's no way out, they've got every conceivable exit blockaded. I nearly didn't make it out of there."

Sam and Buffy shared looks at that.

"We need to get back to the others." Buffy whispered before turning to the man. "We're headed towards the Kents. We have a small group of unaffected people there."

The man hesitated, obviously not too sure he could trust them, before sighing. "Jonathan Kent is a good man."

Sam nodded his agreement, pocketing the bloody knife before reaching out his hand. "I'm Sam, and this is Buffy."

The man eyed that hand before shaking his head and reaching out to shake it. "Dr. Steven Hamilton."

* * *

"No." Jonathan snapped. "You are _not_ going to kill her!"

"I'm not saying we kill her." Chloe tried to reason with the man. "But I'm saying you need to be mentally prepared to do so if you need to!" Her gaze went to the cellar, where the woman could be heard screaming and struggling in the chair they'd tied her to.

"Just like _you_ were to kill Red and his boys?" Jonathan whispered. "Chloe, you didn't even bat an eye! You don't even seem affected by the fact that you've just taken human life!"

"What do you expect, Jonathan?" Chloe snapped, turning towards him, pissed with his damned moralistic view in this situation. "Those men were going to kill the men and rape the women, my own _classmate_ was calling _dibs_ on me. He didn't even wait to make sure you guys were _dead_ with his eagerness to rape me! Do you _really_ expect me to cry over their deaths?"

"Yes!" Jonathan snapped right back at her. "It's supposed to be tough, Chloe! We're supposed to struggle with this! That's the whole point of being human!"

It was all she could do to keep from snapping at him that she _wasn't_ human.

"Mr. Kent." Pete cleared his throat from the doorway. "I understand your point, I do, and I know that you and Red used to be friends since high school, but you have to realize that those guys outside weren't your friend and his sons. They were murderers and rapists. There's blood in their truck, they killed before coming here and they attacked us. If Chloe hadn't done what she did I know for a _fact_ that all of us wouldn't still be here."

Chloe sent a little look in his direction.

Pete gave her a little half-smile that was not at all merry.

"What if we all have it?" Lana sat heavily on the seat, eyes haunted. "What if we all go crazy and try killing each other?"

"You've got to stay calm." Martha whispered, rubbing Lana's knees comfortingly. "All we can do is wait."

"For _what_?" Lana's voice broke. "For _more_ loonies to come to kill and rape us?"

Pete went to sit next to his wife and drew her into his arms, holding her tight.

Chloe watched them before heading towards the door that led to the cellar.

"What are you going to do?" Jonathan stopped her, hand on her shoulder.

She sent his a narrowed glare. "I'm not going to kill her." Yet. "We need to know more than what we do, and the only one who _might_ be able to tell us something is down there in the cellar." She turned a look towards Giles. "Wanna interrogate?"

He sighed, nodding. "I should probably be there, yes."

"Let's go." The blonde stalked towards the door, opening it and heading down the steps, finding Beverly and her glowing green eyes glaring at her from where she was unsuccessfully trying to get loose. "Hello Beverly."

Giles closed the door and slowly made his way down as well.

The blonde leaned against the wall opposite Beverly, eyeing her as she folded her arms over her chest. "How are you feeling?"

"How would you feel if you were tied to a damn chair to the point where there's no circulation flowing in your hands?" Beverly spat. "You condescending little bitch. I'm going to yank your teeth out one by one."

"Now there's a thought." Chloe had seen enough interrogations in her lifetime, and while some of them had been at the hands of the Scoobies, most of them had actually been Spike, Dru and Angelus who'd been doing the interrogating…which was truly more torture than anything else.

She tried to find that feeling Jonathan said she should be feeling, and yet she didn't.

There was only stark determination, and a willingness to do what she needed to get out of there alive.

"I've seen that done enough times to know that while it _sounds_ good, and sure, it hurts, in the end you end up with their blood all over you and I like this outfit." She raised an eyebrow. "I myself enjoy the more subtler ways of doing things." She pushed away from the wall and went to kneel down in front of the glaring woman. "I like being creative."

"Keep trying to be intimidating, sweetheart." The woman sneered down at her. "You're not going to touch me. And even if you have the nerve, the idiots upstairs are too softhearted to let you do anything to me."

"There's a deadbolt on this side of the door." Giles replied severely. "They use this as a tornado shelter and have made sure that it can't be opened unless those inside want it."

The woman's neon green gaze went to him, obviously contemplating his words before returning her eyes on Chloe.

"Now that we've gotten you're attention… _Christo_." She tried, narrowing her eyes on the woman, and her non-reaction. "Told you Giles, she isn't an Animus. This is something else." Her greens went to Beverly. "Why don't you tell me what happened when your husband and son attacked you? How did they infect you?"

Beverly bit through her bottom lip and spat the blood on Chloe's face before grinning a bloody smile. "Why don't you find out for yourself?"

The blonde pulled back and stood, wiping at her face before pausing as she felt the sting of Beverly's blood mixing with the cut in her cheek. "Blood." She yanked off her jacket and wiped her face viciously. "It's transmitted through _blood_." She threw her jacket away. "It's why they cut themselves and then cut her with the same knife. This is a virus that's transmitted through bodily fluids." She turned to Giles. "You have to tie me up."

He shook his head. "You can't be sure that-."

"This is the only thing that makes sense." She pointed out, shaking her head as she held her hands out. "Tie me up Giles."

In her seat, Beverly cackled. "Hello neighbor!"

Chloe ignored her, eyes on Giles. " _Please_."

Giles sighed, conflict obvious on his face, before nodding.

* * *

"The _hell?"_ Sam hissed, an unfamiliar truck in front of the farm, and the bodies of four unidentified men bleeding into the lawn.

"Is this some sort of a trap?" Dr. Hamilton had his gun up and pointed at them in seconds.

Sam ignored him, rushing to the bodies before stopping as he looked at the house, seeing the many holes in the walls and the shattered windows. "CHLOE!"

"GILES!" Buffy screamed, racing towards the house as well.

The door opened and Giles stood in the doorway, face grave yet relieved. "I was beginning to get worried."

"What happened?" Sam climbed the last steps.

"We had a little visit from the neighbors." Giles' gaze went to where Dr. Hamilton was still pointing the gun at them. "That's the only one you found who wasn't infected?"

"Infected?" Sam picked up on the word.

"Steven?" Jonathan stood by the window.

"Jonathan." The man sighed in relief, putting down the weapon and moving passed those outside to head within.

"Giles, things are bad out there, like, Mad Max bad." Buffy made a face as she looked behind her at the sky. "Everything's in chaos, everyone but Dr. Hamilton has glowing green eyes and blood on their hands, and what's worse is that they have this place locked down tighter than Fort Knox. They're not letting people out."

"You said 'infected'." Sam returned to that point, gaze going to the shot up house before returning to Giles. "Have you figured out what we're dealing with?"

"In a matter of speaking, yes, though we don't have any hard facts to back our current theory." Giles' expressions were minimum, his eyes grave. "We think it's a virus that's transmitted via blood and possibly other bodily fluids."

"So it's like an STD on crack?" Buffy blinked.

"It's a _plague_." Giles corrected.

"At least we know what we're up against." Sam ran his fingers through his hair.

Dr. Hamilton came to the broken window. "They've got infected in here!"

" _What_?" Sam turned to Giles. " _Who_?"

"Beverly." Giles took off his glasses and ran his fingers over his eyes. "And possibly Chloe."

" _What_?" Sam hissed, taking a step towards Giles.

"What happened?" Buffy's voice broke.

"She went to interrogate Beverly, and found out it was transmitted via blood after Beverly spat it all over her face." Giles put back on his glasses. "She asked me to tie her up and I have…she's in the cellar with Beverly."

"I can't believe you did that!" Sam snapped as he brushed passed Giles.

"Sam!" Giles turned and followed him into the house. "We've estimated the approximate time of gestation the virus has before manifestation by calculating the time it took from Beverly's infection to manifestation. If Chloe doesn't manifest the eyes in around two hours then we know she's out in the clear." He placed a hand on Sam's shoulder, leaning in as he whispered. "You know her healing abilities, they could keep her from being infected at all…and might pose a cure for Beverly and the others who are infected."

Sam hesitated before turning to Jonathan. "Where's the cellar?"

He pointed the way.

"Thanks." Sam pushed passed the ground talking and hesitated at the door before opening it and entering, closing the door and heading down the stairs.

"Aw, look, loverboy's back in one piece." Beverly sneered from where she was tied securely to a chair, eyes neon green. "How depressing."

"Can it Bevie." Chloe snapped, sitting on the ground hands tied tightly together, fixing her to the chains locking the cellar's outside door. She gave him a little sheepish smile as she tugged on her binds. "So…funny story..."

Sam sighed, coming down the rest of the way as he went to where she was, bending to his knees in front of her. "Hey."

"Hey." She smiled softly down at him. "How are you?"

He closed his eyes and took in a breath before opening his blue/greens as he shook his head at her. "Not tied up."

"This really isn't as bad as it looks." Chloe gave the binds a little tug. "Plus you know me, I enjoy being tied up for a bit."

Memories flashed through Sam's mind of the many times he'd been forced to watch Angelus and Chloe having sex in every possible way. He'd been shackled to the wall and forced to watch this woman being taken against walls and beds and floors. He'd never touched her himself, and yet he knew exactly what to do to make her whimper and cry and arch in pleasure. He knew exactly just how much she enjoyed being tied up, or tying her partner up, and Sam must have gotten somewhat twisted due to always being shackled while watching her because he couldn't see chains or a bind of some kind without getting aroused.

"Sorry, that was out of line." Chloe must have read his silence as discomfort, gaze lowering as she sighed. "I let my guard down and got cocky." Her greens returned to him. "What's it like out there?"

"Remember the Hellmouth opening?" Sam made a face.

"That bad?" She flinched.

"Well, not in _gravity_ -that we know of at least-but the structural damage is pretty similar." He sighed, reaching out to brush some stray gold out of her face and behind her ear. "Everyone's psycho though."

The blonde sighed as she made a face. "Nothing much has changed since I left Smallville then, huh?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I guess."

Chloe's gaze lowered before she looked back up at Sam. "I don't think anyone upstairs is infected, I can't think of a time in which any of them could have come into contact with contaminated blood, but if by some little chance one of them is infected they'll be showing soon."

"Buffy and Giles are upstairs." Sam shrugged. "They can handle it."

"Oh god, you two make me wanna tear out my own eyeballs." Beverly gagged.

Sam stood and looked all around before grabbing a dirty towel and balling it up, stuffing the material into the woman's mouth before returning to a chuckling Chloe and sitting down on the ground in front of her. "You're going to be okay, you know that right?"

"Course I am." She gave him a brave little smile.

Sam sighed, reaching out to cup her cheek. "You _are_."

She nodded silently, gaze going to Beverly before returning to him. "If I become a bitch like her though, you have my permission to deliver two to the temple."

"Don't even joke about that." Sam snapped, removing his hand.

"I'm serious Sam." Her gaze went intense. "I just finished scolding Mr. Kent about needing to be mentally prepared to do whatever's needed. You can't let me down. If I turn psycho bitch on you you have to shoot me."

Shaking his head, pissed beyond measure, Sam stood and left.

* * *

They kept going down in shifts, and it was Jonathan's turn, so Buffy took his place by the door, staring out, vigilant.

"That Beverly chick is getting stronger." The Slayer warned, gaze going to those huddled in the living room. "It seems like the virus makes those it infects stronger as time goes by, and if we wait much longer she's going to break loose. She's already beginning to crack the chair."

"We can't just _kill_ her," Lana whispered, staring up at her. "She's our neighbor _._ Our _friend_."

"Not anymore she isn't." Pete surprisingly enough declared, holding a knife tightly and flinching at his wife's shocked look. "Baby, if I have to choose between you and her, it's you hands down."

Lana worried her bottom lip before lowering her hazel gaze to her hands.

Martha patted Lana's back before standing and going to join Giles at the window, hugging herself as she stared out at the multiple fires blazing in the horizon. "It's gotten quieter."

The Watcher nodded, gaze following the other woman's. "Not sure if that's a good thing."

"First vampires are real…and now meteor poisoning," Lana whispered to herself, shaking her head and running her hand over her neck, moving her pearls enough for Buffy to recognize a mark against the porcelain skin.

"You've been bitten by a vampire?" The blonde asked in surprise, turning towards her.

Lana looked up in surprise, continuing to rub the mark, before slowly nodding. "Some years back…Chloe saved my life actually." Her worried hazels went to the door to the cellar before she sighed and returned her attention to the Slayer. "She also helped Clark and Pete save me from an Incubus some years back." The pretty asian made a face. "I thought he was perfect-turns out he was definitely too good to be true and I was the perfect sacrificial lamb."

Buffy's eyes widened, never having heard of this.

A quick glimpse in Sam's direction proved that he hadn't either.

"Clark and I asked her to keep it hush hush," Pete admitted from where he stood, gaze on his wife.

"Incubus?" Martha asked in shock. " _Vampires_?"

Buffy winced and turned away, leaving Pete and Lana to explain things to the pretty redhead.

Sam stood and went to join Buffy at the door. "Dean and Cordelia would have arrived by now and realized that the entrances are blockaded. That, coupled with the fact that those fires _have_ to be visible _and_ that we're not answering their phone calls-they'll know something's up."

Suddenly, below them something cracked loudly and Chloe yelled something as a struggle could be heard.

Buffy reacted before the others, rushing towards the door to the cellar and taking the steps two at a time. Below was a mess, evidence of a struggle. Beverly's chair was broken, and the woman was lifeless on the ground, a large gash in her head.

Chloe just sat tied up, gazing at Mr Kent.

Jonathan stood staring down at Beverly's body, a bloody piece of broken chair clutched in his hand, a haunted expression in his eyes.

Chloe's gaze went to Buffy. "She got free."

Jonathan reacted to her voice, throwing down the bloody wood and pushing passed Buffy to hurry up the stairs and wrap his arms around Martha tightly, clutching onto her as if to dear life.

Pete and Sam made their way slowly down the steps, grabbing Beverly's extremities and slowly backing her up the stairs, most probably to place her body with the others outside.

Buffy went to sit next to Chloe as the rest returned upstairs, closing the door behind them. "You know, this place makes _Sunnydale_ not look so bad."

Chloe let out a choked laugh before shaking her head. "If that happens to me…"

"We already had a similar conversation some years back, and I told you what I thought about what you're going to say," Buffy responded softly.

Chloe sighed. "If something happens…can you give my ring back to Angel whenever he comes back?"

The Slayer sent her friend a little look before nodding. "I don't think he would deserve to get it back, but I can promise you that much."

"Thanks." Chloe whispered.

Buffy didn't answer, merely rested her head against the blonde's shoulder.

Chloe hesitated a second before resting her head against Buffy's.

The two sat there in silence.

* * *

"Two hours have passed and she's showing no signs of being sick," Martha announced, gazing at the door to the cellar. "I don't think she's infected."

"We can't be sure." Dr. Hamilton frowned. "She could be playing us; hiding how sick she is."

"There isn't a way she could hide those glowing eyes," Lana countered with surprising strength in her voice. "I think Martha's right. We should untie her and let her out of the cellar. If she was infected it would have manifested already."

Sam opened his mouth to say something when suddenly a sound echoed throughout the house.

"Is that-?" Giles stepped forwards.

"My _phone_." Sam's eyes widened as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone. "It's _Dean_." He brought the phone to his ear and pressed the send button. "Hello?"

"The _hell_ is going on here Sammy?" Dean's voice was confused and worried and anxious. "The whole damn town is empty! There's not a soul in sight! Where the hell is everyone?"

Sam frowned, standing. "Dean says that everyone's gone. The town's deserted."

"What?" Jonathan stood, eyes wide.

Sam turned his back on them, giving his brother the directions to the Kent Farm before hanging up. "He and Cor are on their way. He said that there's no sign of life everywhere. It's like it's a ghost town."

"If no one's there anymore, then where did everyone go?" Dr. Hamilton asked a very good question. "If they'd just killed themselves there should be signs of their bodies-they shouldn't have just vanished into thin air."

Giles shook his head. " _Croatoan_."

"Huh?" Lana turned towards him in confusion.

"Oh my god," Buffy whispered, coming closer. "He's _right_. We'd thought it was referring to the disappearance of the meteor infected…but it was foreshadowing _this_."

"I'm lost." Dr. Hamilton looked between them in confusion. "What does the Lost Colony of Roanoke have to do with what is happening here and now?"

"Before we came here tonight, Chloe found the word CROATOAN carved into a tree by our car," Sam responded. "It hadn't been there last night."

"So you're thinking that whatever happened to the people of the Lost Colony-just happened here in Smallville?" Martha clutched at her heart.

"It's a theory in progress." Giles responded slowly. "I shall have to contact the Council immediately." He turned to Sam. "May I borrow your phone? I seem to have misplaced mine during the, uh, excitement."

Sam nodded, passing his phone to the Watcher.

Immediately Giles was dialing and bringing it to his ear, walking out of the door.

Buffy watched him before her hazel gaze went to Sam. "I'll go tell Pete and Chloe."

Sam would have joined, but he could hear a car in the distance and chose instead to stay and welcome his dumbfounded brother. He stepped outside and froze at what he saw. "I don't believe it."

"What?" Jonathan stood.

"The bodies." Sam turned to look at those inside. "They're _gone_."

* * *

When Chloe emerged from the cellar her wrists were sore as was her back, but she hardly noticed them as Cordelia Chase raced into her arms, hugging her tightly.

"You look horrible!" Cordelia cried, hugging her tightly. "And what have you been using on your hair? It's _dry_."

Chloe snorted, hugging the brunette tightly. "I missed you too, Cor."

Cordelia held on tighter. "And Buffy's new hair color doesn't go with her skin tone."

"Oh boy." Buffy rolled her eyes as he walked passed them and went to hug Dean. "Winchester."

"Slayer." He hugged her tightly before pulling away and looking at her strawberry blonde hair. "I liked your old hair better too."

"What, living with Cordelia for three years suddenly make you a fashion critic?" She slugged his arm playfully.

"Nah." He shook his head before looking passed her at Chloe, meeting the blonde's green gaze. "Chlo."

Chloe removed one hand from around Cordelia.

He stepped into the hug and held the both of them, pressing a kiss to the side of Chloe's head. "Good to have you back."

She smiled, tightening her grip on the both of them.

"I know you told me Smallville was kinda dead…" Cordy murmured. "But this was an exaggeration."

Chloe laughed, not wanting to let go of these two.

Now that the Scooby Gang was all together once more it truly dawned on her just how much she'd missed them and the family she'd had in them, tears filling her eyes as she let a little sob escape her lips.

"Don't cry in my hair…you'll frizz it up." And yet Cor's voice was shaking as well as she tightened her hold nearly painfully.

Dean was silent, yet his grip also tightened on them.

Finally the three pulled away and smiled at each other, wiping at their eyes suspiciously and clearing their throats.

"We don't have to stay here, right?" Cordelia was the first to speak, hands on her hips as she stared at the dead and the destruction. "Because it's all a little too Doomsday-ee for me." She made up her face. "I don't see how they can say the countryside is supposed to be _relaxing_. It's all just farmer propaganda if you ask me."

Dean chuckled as he flung his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "I think we'll all be heading to Metropolis."

"Oooh. Goodie. There are nice stores there." Cordelia grinned brightly, already apparently forgetting the chaos she was in the middle of.

Chloe shook her head, far too amused by this, when suddenly her gaze was drawn to the large apple tree in front of the remains of the Kent Farm. She excused herself from Dean and Cordelia, and went towards it. Her footsteps were silent on the grass as she approached, standing ing front of it before reaching out, her fingertips tracing the word that hadn't been there when she'd gone to interrogate Beverly.

CROATOAN.

"You know, I never got to really thank you for saving my life- _all those times_."

Chloe turned to see Lana standing behind her, holding her arm. "There's really no reason to."

"There is," Lana insisted, clearing her throat before stepping a little closer. "I know that you and I were never very close despite everything, but you helped me even when you were living somewhere else. Clark and Pete told me about how if it hadn't been for you Clark wouldn't have even been able to get into that demon club."

Chloe flashed back for a second to the club with the human bodies hanging from the ceiling.

"And now, you saved everyone again, and I wanted you to know that I'm _so thankful_." Lana smiled tremulously, hand going to her stomach. "And I was praying the whole time you were down there that you wouldn't be infected." She let out a little sigh. "For the first time I think He heard me."

Chloe probably gave this girl a really genuine smile for the first time, because while she wasn't too sure she believed in god, it was the thought that counted. "Thank you."

"Thank _you_." Lana whispered, reaching out and squeezing her hand. "And, you know, if you ever come back to Smallville, come by the Talon and visit us."

"I promise." Chloe nodded, gaze going to where Pete leaned against his truck and stared at them with a tender little expression on his face. "Take care of him, okay? He's a great man."

"I know. And I promise." Lana smiled back.

"So what are you planning on doing?" Chloe turned her attention back on the girl. "Your house is probably just as destroyed as the rest of this place."

"Thankfully both our house and business are insured." Lana made a up her face. "But we're thinking about going to visit Pete's family in Wichita for a while, and Dr. Hamilton has family around the same place so he'll be driving with us. Mr. and Mrs. Kent will be heading towards Metropolis since Mrs. Kent's father and family are there and will help put them up until something can be done."

"That's good." Chloe nodded, looking around her. "I wouldn't stay here after this, not for right now at least. We still don't know where everyone's disappeared to or _why_."

Lana nodded, her gaze going to the fires burning in the distance before shivering and turning her gaze on Chloe. "Keep in touch, okay?"

Chloe smiled and nodded.

Smiling back, Lana squeeze Chloe's hand one last time and walked away, passing her husband as he joined Chloe at her side, gazing at the word carved in the tree.

"So…are we the Lost Colony 2.0?" Pete wanted to know softly, gazing at the words.

"I don't know," she admitted softly, tracing her fingers through the word once more. "I'm going to lose sleep over this one. I mean, why here, why now? And where did everybody go? Even the _dead_ are gone. What happened? Where did they go? They didn't just _melt_ , that would have left _some_ sort of residue…"

"I'm beginning to think this is our punishment for not questioning the disappearance of the meteor infected," Pete admitted softly. "We were just so relieved that…that maybe we _deserved_ this." He ran his hand over his shortly cropped hair. "It really makes me wonder what happened to them now."

Chloe's gaze returned to the fires in the distance before sliding to the word beneath her fingers.

CROATOAN.

Would it ever be anything other than an unanswerable mystery?

* * *

"You're thinking about Clark, aren't you?" Martha asked softly as they drove behind everyone other than Lana, Pete and Dr. Hamilton, who'd taken a different exit to go to Wichita.

The Kents had packed up all they could salvage into their truck and it's broken their hearts to have to leave their farm behind, but there was nothing they could do but this.

Jonathan was unusually silent, his grip tightening on the steering wheel.

"Seeing Chloe, seeing what she was capable of doing-it made you think about Clark." Martha sighed, gazing going to the cars in front of her in the darkness. "Made you think about what _he_ might be capable of doing with his new personality, living in the demon world like she did."

"She killed them effortlessly, Martha. It was like looking at a well-choreographed movie," Jonathan declared shakily. "And there was no reaction in her eyes to it. I couldn't see the little girl we helped Gabe raise."

Martha sighed as she reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, squeezing it comfortingly.

"And yet, when Beverly broke the chair and came at me, I did the exact same thing. I killed." Jonathan lowered his head for a second, voice breaking. "Made me realize I really couldn't judge…that I had that inside of me as well."

Martha stared at her husband in worry.

"I worry about Clark _so much_ Martha," Jonathan admitted hoarsely. "We've only ever seen the meteor freak side of whatever he'd have to face-but despite those eyes-Beverly wasn't a meteor freak. That was something _else_. And it was only the tip of the iceberg." He let out a ragged breath. "Makes me realize just how little we know about our son and what he's facing."

Martha leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "We have to trust Clark, Jonathan. That's all we can do." She gave a little smile. "And what he can't handle Lucy will. She's a very capable young woman."

"Like her cousin," Jonathan whispered, gaze on the cars before him. "Doesn't mean that they both don't make me wary though."

* * *

Lana laid in the back seat, not feeling very good, so Dr. Hamilton sat in the front passenger's seat as they drove in moderate silence down the abandoned freeway. Pete kept gazing in the rearview mirror, unable to believe that there was no one around. Had it affected everyone out this far away from Smallville?

"You mind pulling up ahead there?" Dr. Hamilton suddenly asked, breaking into the silence.

"All right." Pete nodded, pulling up onto the shoulder and stopping the truck, turning to the older man. "Everything all right?"

"I gotta make a phone call." Dr. Hamilton announced, reaching into his jacket's pocket.

"Your cellular probably won't have coverage out here." Pete pointed out curiously. "This road is notorious for its reception blockage."

Dr. Hamilton chuckled as he began removing what was in his pocket. "I got it covered."

Suddenly there was movement from behind the doctor and with a quick motion of silver a blade slit Hamilton's throat open, another arm reaching out, holding an ancient goblet to the slit and catching the blood as the doctor quickly bled to death.

When the hand holding the goblet retreated back into the darkness, Pete leaned forwards and opened the door to the truck, kicking Hamilton's body out, his satellite phone falling onto the front seat.

The lights came on, revealing Lana leaning hard on the back seat, hand dipped into the blood, swirling it around as her eyes closed in concentration.

Pete turned to look at her.

"It's over, you'll be pleased. I don't think any more tests are necessary." Lana was making a call of her own, lips twitching in pleasure as she listened to the voice on the other side of the call, which only she could hear. "As expected, it had no effect on her." She paused before nodding. "Yes, of course. The chosen survivors lived through the night to bring attention to the right people, but nothing was left behind for anyone, especially not the Watcher's Council, to have any clue as to what exactly happened in Smallville tonight." She smiled, eyes opening to reveal her hazels were now demonic-black, meeting her husband's matching orbs. "Understood."

* * *

The Scooby Gang had been welcomed into Gabe and Jenny Sullivan's home with open arms, the two people Chloe considered her parents showering the group with food, beverages, and worry. They listened, hands held tightly, as the group relayed the events as they'd happened, and Chloe could see the worried glances her father would send her every couple of minutes. He'd always been terribly worried about her and her safety, and she knew that it killed him that even though she was now away from Angel (which she knew he was quite happy about) that things still kept happening to put her in danger. Jenny bit her bottom lip and at one point left Gabe's side to go sit by Chloe's, placing her hand on her knee.

"So I'm immune to whatever that was," Chloe mumbled, turning to her ex-tutor and current stepmother. "If I had thought things through, I could have tried giving her my blood to see if it would heal her. It might have."

"Or it may have made the virus inside of her ten times stronger." Giles replied evenly. "I thought about administering your blood to her, but without certainty on how she or the virus would react to it, I thought it best not to do so."

"Why would your blood strengthen the virus?" Gabe asked in confusion, never having been informed about the truth as to Chloe's unknown, biological parentage.

The blonde flinched, nothing able to think of a way to explain this to her father without explaining the Master and his claims, and then Azazel and _his_.

Sam, as always, came to her rescue. "She's meteor infected."

Gabe's eyes widened. " _What_?"

Chloe sent Sam a thankful little look before sighing as she turned to look at her father. "Mom and I were in the first meteor shower in Smallville. My meteor ability is basically strengthening blood-as far as I know at least."

"Why didn't you ever tell me this?" Gabe asked, standing.

"Because it wasn't important. It's just-a blood thing." In so many more ways than he knew.

"Chloe, you're my _daughter_." Gabe came to stand in front of her before kneeling and reaching up to cup her cheek. "Anything that happens to you is important to me and you need to tell me so that I can be informed and be able to help you in any way possible."

Emotion knotted in her throat as she stared at the only man she'd ever acknowledge or accept as her father, tears escaping her eyes as she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "I love you daddy."

"I love you too, honey." He held her tightly, voice just as emotional. "I know you're a big woman now, but you'll always be my little girl and I'll always be here for you."

Chloe held on tighter and cried hard for all the things she could never tell him.

* * *

 **TBC**


	5. Lover's Walk

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Based on Buffy Season 3 Episode "Lover's Walk".

* * *

Spike really wondered when his life had gone to hell.

And not in a good way.

It seemed like it was only last Thursday that he, Dru, 'Gelus and Chloe were living the life in France, enjoying all of life's creature comforts. For vampires family was everything, and yet considering everything Spike, the youngest Childe, had had very little 'family time'. And for the first couple of centuries he'd had to put up with that bitch of Darla who'd never kept it a secret how deficient Drusilla was, and how little she thought of Spike. He had to admit though, part of the reason he'd become as vicious as he'd wanted to prove her that someone who came from Drusilla wasn't useless, as Darla proclaimed. The last three years Spike had finally started living that coven life he'd heard so many others brag about, and his Dark Princess had started to act…normal…er.

The vampire hissed as he kicked at a discarded can on the ground, leaning against the fence as he gazed out into the playground, where the moonlight bathed down upon the two sitting on the swings talking.

How pathetic was it that he'd only had three good years in an actual family, and a _non-vampire_ had been the cause of it?

She shouldn't mean so much.

She shouldn't.

She was just one bird.

One, annoyingly human, bird.

He'd lived with Drusilla on and off for centuries, they'd survived Angelus' departure and Darla's abandonment the moment Angelus left. It shouldn't be so damn _hard_ now that Chloe had done the same damn thing as Darla.

And yet, she hadn't, had she?

Sure, she'd left and gone back to her family like Darla had the Master…but Chloe had still called, still kept in contact-the only reason she'd stopped was because he'd thrown away the damn phone in one of his tantrums.

And now…now what did the vampire have?

Angelus was gone again.

Dru had left him for a _Chaos Demon_.

And the only one Spike had left…he didn't have the courage to approach.

Laughter from the playground caused him to turn his attention to the two on the swings, watching as the Pup slid off of his swing and began pushing the giggling blonde on hers.

Spike took another swig of his rum, fighting down the resentment of her having such a great time while he himself was in the pits of despair.

Chloe stopped laughing and turned to look in his direction, almost as if sensing him. She was obviously unable to see him from his hiding spot, but the fact that she somehow seemed to _know_ made Spike feel a little less miserable.

He wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

He was going to have to show her that she couldn't just forget about them this easily.

Especially not him.

* * *

Sitting on the counter of Giles' kitchen, Buffy swung her legs as she played with one of his knives as the Watcher fluttered about as he readied to leave. He'd rented a place that was actually quite close to where Cordelia and Dean studied. It wasn't a big or showy place, but it was very much him. It was filled with books and every sort of occult material. She'd made fun of it the first day to tease him, but she felt very much at home amongst these things. The Slayer had invited herself to stay over his the first day back in California after leaving Metropolis the day after the Smallville Incident, and while Buffy was sure Giles had expected her to move back in with her mother (and her mother probably expected the same) Buffy found herself much more comfortable here.

Like Gabe Sullivan, Joyce Summers had remarried, and while Buffy liked the man enough and was happy her mother was very happy, she didn't exactly feel in her own home anymore.

Thankfully Giles didn't seem to mind every time she brought over more and more of her clothes and things to his place, into the guest room she'd installed herself in.

She wasn't a silly teenager anymore, didn't live in a dreamworld in which she and Giles were meant to be together, but he still was the one who made her feel safest and most appreciated.

She felt at _home_ with him.

What more could she ask for?

"I'm just worried about Sam." Buffy made a face as she shook her head. "He's obviously still in love with her."

"With who?" Giles asked curiously, head in the fridge.

"What do you mean 'with who'?" Buffy asked in shock. " _Chloe_ of course!"

Giles stood and turned to look at her in surprise. "You believe Sam has a romantic inclination towards Chloe?"

"Believe-? Giles! How did you ever get laid!?" Buffy scoffed, completely shocked. "Sam's been in love with her since _high school_!"

The man blinked, his shock obvious on his every feature. " _Truly_?"

" _Giles_ …" Buffy shook her head at him in awe. "I can't believe what I'm hearing. You're just as oblivious as _Chloe_!"

"Ah…" he cleared his throat, removing his glasses and cleaning them. "So she has not realized his feelings either?"

"No, there was always only Angel for her." Buffy made her face at the memory of the vampire she still had mixed feelings towards. "And now…even _now_ I think she still thinks about him." The Slayer shook her head. "When we were in Smallville, and she thought she was infected, she asked me to give the ring back to him."

"The ring…" the Watcher made a face. "You're referring to the claddagh ring he gave her for her birthday?"

"Yes." The Slayer nodded. "She still wears it with the heart facing her, though it's on her other hand now." With a sigh her hazel gaze went to Giles. "Sometimes I just want to rip it off her finger and throw it away…I know it's ridiculous, but sometimes I think if she just got rid of that ring she could forget him."

"And notice Sam?" Giles raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe," Buffy admitted. "He would have accepted Angel just to have her back-he risked his own life-was willing for me to kill him should anything go wrong-and brought the Soul back just to get her back." The young woman put down the knife and hugged herself as she learned forwards. "Shouldn't that mean something?"

"Sadly, in life one does not always get what ones deserves…be it good or bad." The Watcher sighed.

"Well, that sucks." She let him know.

Giles chuckled, shaking his head as he returned his attention to the kitchen. "Will you be alright here while I'm on the retreat?"

"Of course I will be." Buffy rolled her eyes, amused. "Though I've seen your bag, you're packing like this retreat thing is in the Yukon."

"It quite near actually." The Watcher pulled out the sliced bread and other ingredients to make a sandwich she planned on stealing the moment it was finished. "It's, um, it's the clearing at the top of Breaker's Woods."

Buffy eyed the ingredients of this sandwich before slipping off of the counter and going behind him to open the fridge once more and pull out the jar of pickles she'd bought the night before, placing it on the table next to the mayo.

Giles didn't notice, already grabbing two plates. "It's the site of some fascinating druidic rituals."

"But you're just going to be gone for a couple of days, right?" Her lips twitched with her taunt. "'Cause I poked around your luggage and what I saw gave me the suspicion that you're planning on settling there and growing crops or something."

"What?" He eyed her in confusion before his eyes widened and chuckled. "Oh! My _gear_! No, no, no, they are basic necessities."

"You pack more things than _I_ do."

He gave her a little smile. "Are you and Chloe still thinking about getting your GEDs?"

Buffy nodded, sitting back on the counter once more. "Neither of us exactly finished high school, and most jobs now ask you to at least have a high school diploma. When I told mom I was thinking about it she started getting very excited talking all this crazy talk about me going to college."

Giles thought for a moment as he continued preparing their sandwiches, hers with the pickles. "She may be right."

"What?" Buffy asked in shock. "What about the whole "you have a sacred responsibility" speech you gave me in high school when I ranted on and on about not getting to go to college and all that?"

"I'm not suggesting that you…ignore your calling…but, um, you need to look to your future." He cut the sandwich into half and passed her the plate before going back to finish his own. "Faith has been holding her own as Slayer despite the fact that she's a bit of a loose cannon, and Wesley-well-he's somehow not dead yet." The Watcher snorted, obviously not thinking much about his replacement. "You've been living the civilian life for three years now and the world hasn't ended…I don't see why not to allow you to live a normal life. For a-a time, at least."

Buffy stared at him, unsure how to react to this.

When she'd first found out she was Slayer all she'd wanted to be was a Slayer, and then she'd used Kendra's existence as an excuse to escape her failures in Sunnydale. She'd lived the normal life she'd thought she'd wanted, needed, and yet three years later she couldn't deny the fact that being a Slayer was in her blood…and it hurt to hear Giles say that she was replaceable.

"Well, let's, um, let's discuss it when I get back." Giles finally finished his own sandwich. "In the meantime, _please_ don't do anything rash."

"I'm helping Chloe look at apartments." Buffy rolled her eyes. "She's staying with Sam until she finds a place of her own, and I'm getting the feeling that he's trying to convince her he needs a _permanent_ roommate but she's not getting he's not just offering out of the goodness of his heart."

"Not to sound rude, but how does she plan on paying for this apartment if she has yet to even finish high school or has a job?" Giles wanted to know curiously.

"I'm not too sure." Buffy admitted. "She just said that she'd be able to afford it."

The Watcher took a bite out of his sandwich and chewed pensively.

Buffy followed his example, and the conversation died off.

* * *

What?

Was she _living_ with the Pup?

When did _this_ happen?

Spike made a face as he watched the little apartment the Pup and Chloe had gone to after leaving the playground. He crept towards one of the windows and peered inside, taking another gulp of his newest bottle of alcohol, watching the two in the living room. The Pup was sitting in front of a small table covered in thick, boring looking books, obviously studying for something or the other. He'd changed clothes, now wearing sweats and a t-shirt, his gaze narrowed, his concentration on the text in front of him. Chloe lay lengthwise on the sofa facing the window, hair up in a ponytail, wearing shorts and a long t-shirt, dialing a number on her cellular.

Spike gave a drunken humph. "Who are _you_ calling…" he slurred as he continued to watch.

They were listening to classical music, Chloe's foot shaking slowly in rhythm with the melody.

He stepped back from the window, swaying unsteadily. "Okay, stake out successful! Found out where they live." He looked at his bottle and took a long drink, tossing it away in a huff when it emptied. "Now-to enact phase two of my chillingly sinister plan!"

In his drunkenness the vampire tripped over one of the flower beds, fell into it, and passed out.

* * *

Spike still wouldn't answer her phone calls.

Ever since their argument in Smallville Chloe had been trying to get into contact with the vampire, and it worried her that he was keeping grudge this long. Or it could be that something happened to him or Drusilla. Or he was planning something. The worse thought was that he just didn't care anymore. Spike might be a sadistic killer with a penchant for the dramatic, but he was _her_ sadistic killer. Chloe really couldn't define her relationship with Spike, even if she wanted, and she did sometimes, especially when Buffy or Sam or someone else realized she was still trying to call him despite fact that he hadn't answered any of her calls since the fight.

Spike was a friend, a lover and a brother all at the same time. He'd been her stable and constant during her years with the vampires, and she loved him. She mightn't be _in love_ with the bleached blonde, but she loved him, and by god she missed him and his sarcastic nature.

Her green gaze went to where Sam was studying over some legal texts, taking his studies so seriously it made her smile and be even more impressed with him. Somehow he'd managed to not only keep up with a 4.0 grade average while studying _law,_ but he was still studying up magic. The obscure and occult texts in his apartment said it all, and these had been his newest acquisitions since his older ones had burnt in his apartment when his girlfriend…

Chloe frowned as she sat up, tilting her head to the side as she remembered the girl she had _not_ treated nicely the night she'd met her. The girl had been beautiful, and if Sam had loved her then she'd been special as well. It made Chloe feel a little bad to have never met the woman who'd lived and loved Sam, and yet on the other hand Chloe wondered how she would have been able to deal with this Jessica person. The blonde realized just how selfish she was then and there, because while she'd had Angel, and to some extent Spike, Chloe realized that she probably would have been somewhat jealous of Jessica and the position she had in Sam's life.

Even if Chloe had tried pushing Sam towards Amy…she'd always known that she and him shared a special closeness…

Damn, she was selfish.

Sam had done so much for her, selflessly, and she was beginning to realize just how much of a bitch she actually was.

She needed to find an apartment soon before she subconsciously took advantage of Sam's kind nature. Also? She couldn't let herself depend on him too much. He'd just lost someone important to him, and he was emotionally vulnerable at the moment. She could not take advantage of that either, even if she didn't mean to.

Seeming to sense her gaze on him, Sam's green/blues rose and met hers. "Hey."

"Hey." She smiled back.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He asked curiously.

"A penny will only buy you a sneak peak." She teased, standing. "And I was thinking that you're an incredible guy."

A surprised and embarrassed yet pleased smile curled his lips. "Don't know what I did to deserve that one-but continue on with that train of thought."

Laughing softly, Chloe shook her head as she joined him at the table, hugging his neck as she stared at the books on the table. "Course I will."

He stilled for a second under her touch before reaching up and placing his hand on her arm, curling his fingers around her and just holding on.

Chloe gulped, feeling both the desire to pull away and cling closer.

"Chloe-." Sam began, whatever he was going to say interrupted by a loud sound outside. "The hell was that?"

The blonde pulled away and hurried towards the window, peering out into the darkness. At first she didn't see anything, and then she saw a prone figure on the ground covered in a black leather duster.

" _It can't be._ " Eyes widening, Chloe raced passed the rising Sam to the door, unlocking it and flinging it open as she sprinted outside barefoot. " _Spike_?"

He murmured something in a drunken stupor before snoring loudly.

"The hell is he doing here?" Sam grumbled from the doorway, stepping out just as barefooted as her.

"I think something must have happened with Dru. Last time we talked he and her weren't doing so well." Chloe whispered, heart breaking to see Spike in this condition, going towards him and lowering to her knees as she brushed his bleached hair out of his face. "Spike? Spikey?"

He groaned yet didn't wake up.

Letting out a little sigh, Chloe shook her head. "Let's get you to a motel." The blonde turned to Sam. "Can you call us a cab? I'll take him somewhere and wait with him until he's slept off whatever he's drunk and see what happened to him."

Sam sighed, bringing his hand to his face. "I'm going to regret this."

The blonde looked up at him in confusion.

"You'd think a centuries old vampire would be able to hold his liquor better," Sam mumbled as he joined her by Spike's side, poking the snoring vampire. "Or at least find more dignified places to pass out drunk in."

"Yes, well, Spike's never been known to do _anything_ if he wasn't going to do it in excess." Chloe sighed, eyes widening when the vampire's body began to arch off of the ground seconds after she felt Sam's magic tug at her core.

"I usually wouldn't waste magic like this-because it is damn _draining_ after a while-," Sam's eyes were darker as he spoke. "But there's no way I'm picking that Billy Idol Wanna Be up and letting him anywhere near my neck. Passed out stone cold drunk or not."

Chloe could feel his magic calling to her core, to where her connection with the Hellmouth was sealed away, but unlike it had been with Andrew and so many other situations in the past its presence wasn't demanding or violent. Almost without realizing she unlocked the invisible door Jenny had taught her to close on it to bar others using her as a power source, Spike's body jettisoning high into the air almost as if he'd bounced off of a trampoline or something.

Sam's darker eyes widened. "Woah…I haven't felt that in a while."

Chloe stood and tilted her head back, arching her neck as she stared up at Spike's dangling body. "That's impressive."

"We're just lucky he didn't _explode_ ," Sam muttered, lips a wry smile. "How many times did _that_ happen when we first tried connecting during spells?"

Chloe snickered, remembering the brownie incident when they'd finally come clean to the others about their secret studies. "I like my Spike in one piece."

Sam snorted, his eyes going an even darker blue/green as he worked Spike down to an acceptable height, the vampire slowly being levitated towards the door.

The blonde turned to look at the witch in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"Inviting Spike the Bloody into my home," Sam mumbled, apparently that being enough of an invitation since Spike's body floated through the front door without any problem.

"I don't think-."

"Chloe, for three years I've made researching everything and anything to do with vampires my own little pet project." Sam reached out, placing his hand at the small of her back, leading her back into the house. "Trust me to know what I'm doing." As they entered the house, the door swung closed behind them and locked on its own.

"I trust you…" Chloe looked behind her in shock, because while she'd known that Sam could do some incredible stuff magic-wise, he'd never really used it during his every day life. Maybe it was because he was used to pretending normality with his girlfriend Jessica, or maybe it was because magic was taxing on the body and he preferred to use it only when he needed it. Whatever reason it was, this was more magic than Sam had ever used outside of a battle, and it was fascinating to see, especially when she could feel his power connecting with her, and how the Hellmouth power source within her powered everything. "It's _him_ I don't trust to behave."

"Neither do I." He assured her, walking towards the bedroom she was using and hesitating only a second before depositing the vampire into her tub, letting Spike fall the last couple of centimeters.

Chloe flinched.

Spike didn't seem to even notice.

Sam held his hands out towards the vampire in the tub, whispering words in a language age didn't know, his eyes growing darker as the pull towards Chloe grew stronger.

The blonde stopped at his side, watching as symbols burned into the tiles around the tub and wall, the tub itself glowing red before fading away to nothing.

"What exactly did you do?" Chloe as curiously, eyeing the snoring vampire.

"I Uninvited him from my house except for that tub, while making it so that UV rays can't shine through the glass in the bathroom window," Sam responded evenly, resting his elbow on her shoulder as he gazed down at the vampire as well. "That way the sun doesn't make him nice and crispy in the morning, and I get to sleep peacefully knowing that he will in no way be able to try and kill me while I'm snoring."

"You can do that?" Chloe asked in shock, turning to look up at the tall man, more and more impressed.

"I just did." He grinned down at her, obviously reading her awe on her face and deeply pleased by it.

"You didn't have to, you know." She stared up at him, that awkward awareness returning despite her battle against it. "I would have been safe in a motel with him. He wouldn't have hurt me."

Sam was silent for a moment as he just stared down at her before sighing. "You know how vampires are family, and they share even if they don't like it sometimes?"

"Yeah?" The blonde tilted her head to the side.

"Let's just say that this is something similar to that." Sam then turned a halfway evil grin on the snoring vampire. "Anyway, I was chained for _months_ while with those guys. As far as I'm concerned, this is payback."

"So there _is_ evil deep down inside that heart of gold." Chloe laughed, grabbing Sam's hand and dragging him out of the bathroom, closing the door to make sure that there was no way sunlight could hit Spike inside come morning.

"You caught me." Sam chuckled, lacing his fingers through hers as he began to lead her towards the living room. "Deep down inside I'm a very sneaky, very conniving man who uses his face of goodness to hide resentment, jealousy, and covetousness."

"Aren't those three things basically the same emotion?"

"In a way, yet each is slightly different in very important ways," Sam murmured, gaze going to his books on the table. "Resentment is a bitter indignation at having been treated unfairly; Jealousy is being fearful or wary of being supplanted by another, apprehensive of losing affection or position; and Covetousness is an envious eagerness to possess something that belongs to someone else."

Chloe paused, eyeing him curiously. "Why do I have a feeling that if I looked in the dictionary I'd find that those definitions were basically verbatim?"

"Verbatim. Good word." Sam chuckled darkly, giving her a crooked little smile while tightening his hold on her hand. "My legal jargon is rubbing off on you, I see."

It almost felt like he was trying to change the subject, and while Chloe didn't get why, she allowed him to, grinning brightly at him. "You've caught me red handed."

Sam just smiled down at her, the expression less dark and more tender.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

Sam's gaze went to the door, which flung open of its own accord so violently the doorknob was sure to have left a dent in the wall. "Oops."

Dean stood there, hand raised to knock again, expression shocked. " _Dude_."

Cordelia stuck her head around her boyfriend before leaving him in the doorway as she entered, all smiles and plastic bags. "We brought Chinese!"

Dean followed his girlfriend in at a more sedate pace, holding some plastic bags of his own as he went to check the door in shock. "Honey? Can we stop for a moment and just process how a door opening on its own didn't even catch your attention?"

"Sam can _teleport_ , Dean." Cordelia rolled her eyes, putting the bags in her hands on the table next to Sam's books. "Opening a door is kinda _lame_ in comparison."

Dean's eyebrows raised as he slowly shook his head, finally closing the door behind him and eyeing the dent in the wall. "Your landlord's gonna be _pissed_ with you."

Sam sighed, shaking his head. "To what do we owe this visit?"

"What?" Dean asked, putting his bags on _top_ of Sam's books. "Can't an older brother come and visit his little, much less attractive, younger brother?"

Sam raised an eyebrow, lips twitching in amusement. "Yes, but _you_ haven't visited _me_ ever."

"Are you two bonking each other yet?" Cordelia asked as she threw herself down on the sofa, resting her high-heeled clad feet on the arm rest. "Because if so we _so_ need to start double dating. There is _no one_ we know who I would put up staying with in the same restaurant for as long as it takes to eat."

Chloe's eyes widened as a blush heated her chest. "Sam and I are _not_ -!"

"Cor-." Dean tried.

"What?" The brunette frowned at him. "Angel's decided to be all mopey and depressed and left her high and dry when she needed him the most. They are _so_ last year's fashion accessory. Why is it wrong to ask if _these_ two are finally doing the horizontal tango when the chemistry's been there since _high school_?"

Oh dear god.

Chloe felt more than mortified, having forgotten the extent of Cordelia's bluntness.

"Is it because Jessica died?" Cordelia sat up, frowning as her gaze went to Sam questioningly. "Is it too soon?"

"Cordelia Chase everyone, give her a round of applause." Dean tried for a weak laugh, sitting down on the armrest she'd just removed her feet from. "I promise you all that we did _not_ come here with the sole purpose of making everyone terribly uncomfortable."

"He's right." Cordelia nodded, making up her face. "We're here to talk about the fact that my expiration date is going to be up soon."

"Don't say that." Dean snapped at her.

"What?" She pursed her lips at him. "That's what's going to happen."

Chloe's eyes narrowed, previous mortification forgotten. "Expiry date? What are you talking about?"

Sam ran his large, calloused fingers through his silky hair as he sighed. "After Jess' death Dean and I talked to dad."

Chloe's gaze turned to him and widened in surprise.

"Turns out daddy dearest never thought it important to tell us that the Winchester men are cursed." Dean shook his head, disgusted. "All the women who are with us are doomed."

"Like our mothers." Sam let out a little breath. "And _Jess_."

"And, most importantly, _me_." Cordelia piped up. "Considering I've been with this bozo _twice_ , _and_ since I was a teenager, I'm thinking that I've been treading that chasm too closely lately. I mean, Jess was only with Sam for like a year and then she went all crispy." The brunette made up her nose, oblivious to the look of slight horror on her boyfriend's face. "How I see it, I've been selfless for _way_ too long. I mean, it was one of the things Dean and I had come to see you about in Smallville and then things got out of control. But now we are here and I need you all to call in a Scooby Meeting and fix this." She pointed her finger at them and twirled it around. "Pronto."

Dean cleared his throat. "Cor and I have taken some time off from our studies so we can dedicate our time to figuring out what this curse is and how to break it."

"We're looking for a place to rent around here." Cordelia declared. "My parents bought me the apartment we're sharing right now, so I'm just renting it out while we find someplace here."

"I thought of moving in with you in here at first." Dean informed his brother. "But then I remembered that Cor's _loud_ …"

She slapped his thigh.

"I was going to go apartment hunting with Buffy tomorrow but something's come up so I probably won't be able to make it." Chloe ran her finger over the scabbing cut on her cheek which she'd gotten from the glass while in the attack on the Kent's home. "Why don't you go with her instead?"

Dean nodded. "Sounds good."

"Why are you apartment hunting?" Cordelia wanted to know. "I'm sure Sam wouldn't mind you staying here with him."

Chloe sent the handsome giant a small smile. "Sam's been a great host, but I can't depend on his kindness all the time."

Dean snorted and murmured something under his breath that she didn't catch.

Sam sent his brother a narrowed, warning glance.

"Until then, we decided to crash here." Cordelia informed them. "So we'll take the guest room."

"Chloe's in the guest room." Sam interrupted. "You and Dean can have my bedroom and I'll sleep on the couch."

"Wait, you guys _really_ aren't sleeping together?" Cordelia asked in a shock.

" _Cor_ …" Dean groaned.

"You should sleep in my room and I'll sleep on the couch." Chloe turned to her host. "I'm smaller, I'll fit on it better."

"I'm not going to let you sleep on the pull-out couch." Sam frowned at her.

"Well _I_ don't want it." Cordelia let them know.

Dean sighed, gaze going to the ceiling.

"Anyway," Sam's blue/greens were on the blonde. "If your guest wakes up I don't want to be the one in the room with him."

"Wait, Chloe has a guy in her bedroom?" Cordelia gasped in scandal. "It isn't _Angel_ , is it?"

"Spike." Sam replied.

Dean stood immediately. "You invited that-?"

"He's confined to the tub." Sam eased his brother's worries. "No way will he be able to get out of it unless I invite him into the rest of the house-which I have no plan of doing right now."

" _What_ is he doing here?" Cordelia wanted to know, lowering her voice. "And is Miss Crazy here too? Cause I have to say she freaks the _bejeezus_ out of me."

"Can I just say you're insane to have an evil vampire in your bathroom?" Dean made a face.

Chloe turned her gaze on Sam. "I really _could_ go to a motel with him and-."

" _No_." Sam shook his head. "It's okay. The spells on that tub are gonna keep him there tonight and then tomorrow, when he's sober, you guys can talk. We don't know why he's here. If he's running from trouble then I don't want you alone with him while he's unconscious."

Dean grumbled. "He's got a point. At least if Fang is expecting unwelcome company, they won't be able to get in here, and if they aren't vampires we can all deal with demons in this house."

"So it's settled then!" Cordelia grinned, apparently having decided this on her own. "Dean and I'll get the Master bedroom, Sam gets his nice and comfy couch, Chloe keeps her bed, and Captain Peroxide gets the tub. Great. Now lets eat and talk about my untimely demise." With that she arose from the couch and hurried to where they'd put the bags. "I'm _starving_."

* * *

"Okay, mystery solved." Lucy announced as she stepped out of the balcony and into their bedroom in the small chateau they'd taken over once Angelus, Chloe, Spike and Drusilla had deserted it. "Spike's in California."

From where he lay on the bed, Kal raised an eyebrow. "He finally swallowed his pride."

"I doubt an apology is in the future, but he needed to go and talk to her." Lucy slipped onto the bed next to her boyfriend, putting her cellular on the bedside table. "The breakup with Drusilla was really hard on him, and Chloe's the only family he has left. I should have thought to call her earlier once he went off the grid."

"You really should have." Kal agreed, eyes teasing.

Rolling her eyes, Lucy turned towards him. "Talking about family…considering that Lois wants to come and spend some time with us before heading back to the States to surprise Chloe-which I will _totally_ warn her in advance about-you're going to have to promise me to behave this time."

Kal pouted. "But your sister's _annoying_."

Lucy raised an eyebrow.

" _Fine_." He grumbled. "But if she starts pestering me again I'm going to be visiting Spain. A _lot_."

Chuckling at the way her boyfriend and sister fought like siblings, Lucy nodded, before reaching for the light and turning it off in time for her boyfriend to pounce on her.

* * *

The couch was damned uncomfortable, and the first thing Sam was going to do in the morning was throwing it out and getting a comfortable pull-out bed for such a time as this. He didn't know how he was going to be able to move around tomorrow, knowing his muscles were going to be sore and protesting his every movement. It annoyed him because with Spike here, and with Dean and Cordelia ready to start what would be their first Scooby Mission since Chloe's return, well, Sam needed to be one hundred per cent. And he wouldn't be.

Not only was the couch keeping him awake, but he could still feel Chloe's energy zinging through his veins like electricity. This was the first time in far too long in which she'd opened her source to him and willingly allowed him entrance. He'd forced his connection with her while Ensouling Angel, and in Smallville Chloe's connection had already been forced open by Webber, and Sam had had to use his connection with her to close it, seal that door shut once more. Each and every time he'd felt his connection with her in a different way, but he had to admit that the best ever was when she opened willingly.

It was like pure power and life and molted gold…if that made any sense.

"I knew it," a voice whispered from the doorway. "You can't sleep."

His gaze went up, finding a backlit, petite figure leaning in the open doorway. "Neither can you, apparently."

The blonde pushed away from the doorway as she made her way towards him, her bare feet silent on the floor as she approached. "The couch is too small for you."

"I'm not making you sleep here." He already knew what she was going to offer, and shook his head at her.

Leaning against the back of the sofa, Chloe shook her head, her loose hair bouncing with the movement. "Why did you let him stay here?"

He knew she wasn't talking about Dean, and cleared his throat, having known that she'd come back to the topic of the vampire in their midst yet had hoped that he'd have a bit more time to regroup.

"It can't just be that whole wanting revenge about the whole being tied up." Chloe's gaze was intent on him in the darkness.

Sam cleared his throat, looking away, before inhaling deeply and returning his gaze to her. "I wasn't being nice, Chloe. I don't have an unselfish reason for what I did."

She frowned slightly, not saying anything, just waiting for him to continue.

"I-I didn't want you to go to a motel alone with him." And he felt so stupid for admitting this, but needing her to understand, even if only a little bit. "I know that after what happened in Smallville you're worried that you might put us all in danger by just being around, and so I was scared that he'd convince you to leave with him." The young man raised his chin and he cleared his throat. "And I'm not willing to let you go again."

The blonde was silent, the shadows hiding her expression from him.

Sam just continued looking at her, feeling so stupid and corny and-.

Chloe leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead before reaching out to grab his hand. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Sam asked softly, shocked silly by the kiss and gesture, standing and slowly following her towards her bedroom.

"We're both adults." She merely answered, leading him through the door into the darkness of the guest room. "We can share a bed and not be awkward about it."

He gulped, suddenly not too sure about this. "I don't think-."

Chloe closed the door behind them. "Sam, you've seen me naked, being _screwed_ by a _vampire_ , sometimes _two_ , every day for months. This is _far_ more innocent."

The witch gulped once again, not having needed to be reminded of that, not now that they were alone in a bedroom. "Chloe-."

She gave him a little push from behind, jolting him out of his little moment of mounting terror. "To bed, Mister Winchester."

He continued to hesitate, watching her move towards the bed before sliding into it, pulling the sheets up around her.

" _Sam_." She sat up, backlit by the moonlight through the curtains.

Clearing his throat, Sam finally moved towards the bed and slid into his side, wrapping up as he gazed up at the ceiling in utter disbelief.

"Goodnight." She whispered, getting a little more comfortable before slowly settling into sleep once more.

Sam continued staring up at the ceiling, heart racing, commanding his errant lower extremities to behave.

It didn't help when, around twenty minutes later, a softly snoring Chloe turned and wrapped an arm around his waist as she cuddled into his body.

Sam closed his eyes tightly and gave a little whimper.

This was going to be a _very_ long night.

* * *

"You're just annoyed because I was right-as _always_ -and they're having sexy times." Cordelia gazed into her compact mirror the next morning and checked her hair as they drove towards Giles' home, having agreed to pick the Slayer up so they could go apartment hunting together-although the beauty queen couldn't figure out why Buffy had to come with-but she didn't complain.

"Just because we woke up to find them sleeping on the same bed does _not_ mean any naughty nighttime spanking took place." Dean countered, stopping at a red light. "She could have just, I don't know, offered to share the bed with him because the couch was uncomfortable or something."

" _Please_ ," Cordelia rolled her eyes, checking her lipstick. "Your brother has been in love with her since _high school_ , and now not only is she out of a _toxic_ relationship and living with him, but he's got the body of a sex god." She snapped the compact mirror shut. "They are _so_ doing the naked tango."

Dean made up a face. "Don't use 'sex god' and 'naked tango' when talking about my baby brother. I just threw up a little in my mouth."

The brunette snickered at him.

"And anyway, Chloe's still vulnerable with everything that's been going on, and Sam's not the type of person to take advantage of that." Dean was ever so sure of his brother and his high moral standards. "Plus…there's Angel."

"What about Angel?" Cordelia huffed, not sure why she was supposed to forgive and forget just because the dude had a Soul now. "He's out of the picture. By his own doing."

"She's been with him for _years_ , through the good and the _really_ bad." Dean tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "That sort of love doesn't just disappear like that."

"So what, you think she should just wait around for him to decide that he wants to be with her again?" Cordelia made up her nose in disgust. "No. She does _not_ need to do that. She needs to jump your brother. Continuously. They've both suffered enough. It's time for Sexual Healing."

" _Another_ group of words that should never be mentioned when in reference to my baby brother," Dean groaned.

"Stop _whining_." Cordelia smacked him up the back of his head and then checked her manicure to make sure that it was fine before continuing. "Even back in high school I was Team Sam. Now that Angel's gone and did his whole melodramatic exit I'm ready to dust off my cheerleading uniform, grab my pompoms, and cheer these two on to touchdown."

Dean's grin went lecherous at the mention of her high school cheerleading uniform.

She smacked him up the back of his head once more. "Mind out of the gutter, mister."

"It _lives_ in the gutter baby," Dean gave her a sheepish look as his hand rested on her knee. "But only because you're so gorgeous."

Pacified, she smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek as up ahead the light turned green.

* * *

At first, when Spike woke up to find himself in a tub he couldn't seem to get out of despite no visible binds he thought he might still be drunk. And then he heard the heartbeats and could smell her through the slit on the bottom of the bathroom door. The vampire could guess what had happened after he'd collapsed outside, and winced at just how his plans never seemed to work out how he wanted them to. This was _definitely_ not the sinister plot he'd been sure to have befall all.

It took him a couple of seconds to realize that there were _two_ heartbeats on the other side of the door, beating peacefully in sleep, and Spike had to pause when he realized that the Pup was sleeping with her.

On the same bed.

Despite his sniffs he couldn't smell sex in the air but that only meant that they hadn't done anything last night or this morning, which meant that those two…

Spike didn't know whether to smirk at the thought of how Angel would take the news…or be resentful and annoyed.

Everyone was getting laid except him…and probably the Soul.

And Spike didn't like being in the same category as the Soul.

"Nibbles!" He yelled, annoyed and refusing to be left with his thoughts any longer. "NIBBLES! WAKE UP!" He could hear the change in their breathing as they both slowly awoke. "I'M BORED NIBBLES! AND HUNGRY! AND-AND-BORRRRRRREEEEEDDDD!"

" _Coming_." She whispered, yawning, the sound of her feet trudging against the tiles towards him betraying her approach before the door was pushed open, and the half-asleep beauty smiled softly at him. "Hi Spike."

"Hello." He tilted his head towards her. "I seem to find myself in a peculiar situation luv. I can't get up from this _tub_."

"Right." She winced, rubbing her eyes as she came towards him and promptly sat down on the bathroom mat on the floor in front of the tub. "Sam has only invited you into his tub…you're uninvited from the rest of the house…as a precaution."

"You mean he doesn't _trust_ me?" Spike tried for innocence.

The girl snickered, shaking her head.

"Well, he was always the smart brother," Spike murmured, pouting, hearing the man grunting as he stretched and stood from the bed. "Tell Lover Boy to come in here. I need to talk to him as well."

"He's not-," her eyes widened and she blushed. "We're _not_." The blonde cleared her throat. "We're only _friends_."

"Friends don't share bed," Spike pointed out, somewhat resentfully.

"Dean and Cordelia arrived unexpectedly in the night and they took my room." The Pup trudged into the room, wearing boxer shorts and a muscle shirt, yawning as he leaned against the doorway. "Chloe offered to share her bed. Nothing else."

"I see." The vampire raised an eyebrow as he gazed at them. "So we're in the denial stage, are we?"

" _Spike_." Chloe raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you didn't come _all this way_ to question Sam and my sleeping habits."

"Despite how utterly _fascinating_ I'm finding it, you're right." The vampire let out a little breathe before his gaze went to Chloe. "I'm, you know, about what I said on the phone-."

She smiled at him. "I know."

He smiled back at her, relieved that she never expected him to come out and say stuff like that when it was obvious what he was trying to do.

It wasn't like it was easy for a proud creature of the night such as himself to apologize anyway.

"And now that that is over with," Spike cleared his throat and turned his narrowed gaze on the giant in the doorway. "I also came here because I need the Pup to do something for me."

The witch raised an eyebrow in shock at this. "This is going to be good." He moved to sit on the toilet seat, getting comfortable. "So, what exactly do you deludedly think I'm actually going to do for you?"

"A spell," Spike declared as he sat in the tub, leaning hard against the plush pillow Chloe must have stuffed behind him to help make his accommodations more comfortable the night before. "You're gonna do a spell for me."

From where he sat on the toilet, looking quite awkward and _large_ on it, the Pup raised an eyebrow. "What sort of spell are we talking about here?"

"A curse." He was surprised that that question even had to be asked.

"A _what_?" Chloe sat up straighter from the mat she was sitting on.

"A _curse_. For the damned demon Dru left me for," The vampire replied, somewhat exasperated, not only by his wreck of a romantic life, but by the fact that he was being bound to a _bathtub_. "Y'know, something nasty. _Boils_!" There was an idea! "I wanna give him boils all over his face. You know, dripping pustules. Let's _really_ go for the gusto here."

The Pup's lips twitched. "I'm hearing a lot of negative energy here, and the first lessons of witchcraft is that the sort of energy you send out-."

"Leprosy!" Spike interrupted, not giving a rats ass about the rules of witchcraft. "A spell that makes his parts fall off sounds right and proper."

Chloe bit her bottom lip, obviously torn between horror and intrigue as she turned her large, green gaze on the Pup. "Not that I'm saying you should, but _could_ you do that?"

The giant cleared his throat. "I don't do…leprosy."

"Then do a _love_ spell!" Spike exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air in utter frustration. "I'm gonna get what's mine! _What's mine_! Teach her to walk out on me." He narrowed his eyes on the he-witch. "You can do, it, right? You can make Dru love me again? Make her crawl!"

"I don't know." The Pup eyed him curiously. "I've never really been interested in studying love spells."

Spike's gaze slid to Chloe before returning to the he-witch with a scoff, disbelieving. "Sure you haven't."

The Pup's eyes narrowed, all amusement gone. "It's not smart to antagonize the guy you're asking for help."

"I'm not _asking_ for your help. I'm _demanding_ it," the vampire clarified with a scandalized huff. "It's the least you could do since this whole mess is your bloody fault!"

Chloe's eyes widened in shock. "Why would you think this is _Sam's_ fault?"

"Why would I think-?" Spike sputtered, completely horrified that his pet hadn't figured this out yet. "It's _all_ his fault!" The vampire leaned hard against the pillow, shaking his head. "She wouldn't even kill me."

" _Spike_ …" Chloe whispered, reaching over the rim of the tub and placing her hand on his shoulder.

"She just _left_." Spike was unable to believe it even now. He and his Dark Princess had always had their highs and lows, but _never_ had it been _this_ bad! "She didn't even care enough to cut off my head or set me on fire." He sniffled, reaching up to place his hand on Chloe's and squeeze, having missed her presence. "I mean, is that too much to ask? You know? Some little sign that she cared?"

"I'm _so sorry_ hon." Chloe pushed up on her knees to reach in and hug him tightly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I'm sure that deep down inside she _really_ wanted to hurt you, mutilate even."

"You think?" He whispered, hopefully.

"I'm sure of it," Chloe assured him, pulling away long enough to kick off her shoes before crawling into the tub with him.

It should have been very uncomfortable having two people in this tub, but Spike held her tightly as she wrapped around him, head on his unbeating heart. "I would have settled for her cutting off a digit or two…any little _hint_ that I meant something to her still."

The Pup just sat there watching them with an odd look on his face.

It was a testament to the vampire's misery that he didn't flaunt this closeness to Chloe to the Pup, instead just focusing on holding her warmth close and letting his bleeding heart pour out to her as he'd needed to for a very long time now.

There was a sigh and then the Pup leaned forwards. "How is this my fault?"

"It was that damn spell of yours!" Spike pointed a finger accusingly at the he-witch. "You brought the damned emo _SOUL_ back and ruined everything!" He paused for a moment to inhale and exhale deeply. "Dru said I'd gone soft because I didn't murder the Soul before he could take Nibbles away with him, as we both knew he would. She said that I wasn't demon enough for the likes of her. And I told my Dark Princess that she wouldn't _want_ Nibbles unhappy as she would be if the Soul was dead. But she didn't care…said she was cold now that Hell was gone." He let out a little fluttery breath. "'Cold?' I asked her. So, we went to Brazil, and she was…she was just different. I gave her everything: beautiful jewels, beautiful dresses with beautiful girls in them, but nothing made her happy. And she would _fliiiiiiiirt_!" He sniffed at the memory. "I caught her on a park bench, making out with a _chaos_ demon!"

Chloe made up her face in disgust. "No!"

" _Yes_!" Spike exclaimed, egged on by her reaction, turning his attention to the confused giant. "Have you ever _seen_ a chaos demon?"

The Pup shook his head.

"They're all slime and antlers!" Spike made up his face. "They're _disgusting_."

"You know she only did that to hurt you." Chloe stroked his chest soothingly. "She didn't mean it."

"I know." The vampire agreed. "So I said, 'I'm not putting up with this anymore.' And she said, 'Fine!' And I said, 'Yeah, I've got an unlife, you know!' And then she said…she said _we could still be friends_." He held on tighter to Chloe, burying his face in her hair. "God! I'm so unhappy!"

Chloe pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"I mean, _friends_!" Spike ranted in infuriated pain. "How could she be so _cruel_?"

There was a little sigh, and a groan, and then the Pup let out an aggravated breath. "I'm going to regret this."

Spike raised his gaze to the he-witch. "Regret what?"

Chloe turned her gaze over her shoulder at him. "Sam?"

"I feel guilty," the giant grumbled in annoyance to himself. "He's a psychotic, murdering maniac who has caused me nothing but trouble. I should _not_ feel guilty because he's bawling his eyes out in my guest tub."

"A true man is _not_ afraid to cry!" Spike defended vehemently.

The witch let out another deep breath and ran his hand over his face before sighing. " _Fine_. I'll do it." His eyes narrowed on Spike. "But I've never done this before and I not only don't know how effective it'll be, nor do I have all the ingredients I'd need."

Spike was shocked that he didn't have to threaten someone to get his way.

"But I need things from you, and I need you out of the tub to get them." The Pup narrowed his eyes on the vampire. "So if I'm going to take off the Univite to the rest of my house, I need to know that you won't abuse that and hurt anyone either in my house, or in this city, while you're here."

Spike grinned brightly. "Deal."

To his credit, the Pup only raised an eyebrow, seeing passed the blatant lie.

"Swear it Spike." Chloe slowly pushed away from him, sitting up on the tub's rim, staring down at him seriously. "Swear by _Venice_ that you won't hurt anyone while you're here and you'll behave."

He flinched at her bringing up something as sacred as Venice. " _Nibbles…_ "

"Spike," she interrupted, determined. "Swear by it."

The vampire hesitated, staring up into her face before sighing and nodding, all amusement gone. "I swear by _Venice_ that I'll behave."

Chloe nodded, smiling softly at him. "Thank you."

Spike sighed. "Only for you."

He could feel the Pup's curiosity, and had to admit he admired the fact that the witch wasn't asking what was so sacred about Venice.

Chloe turned to the witch and nodded.

The Pup trusted her, it was without a doubt, since his eyes went darker with magic as the symbols on the tub disappeared Spike was set free.

* * *

The first two apartments had been a bust, but they were on the third and Cordelia seemed completely enamored with it, arms looped around the landlady's while asking her question upon question.

Buffy felt the place lacked character, but she wasn't the one who'd be living in it, so she just stayed quiet. Also, with Cordelia fascinated and keeping the landlady busy, Buffy was able to finally get caught up with the Winchester Curse situation, shaking her head at the thought that John Winchester had allowed his sons to continue living their lives without at least warning them that the women they slept with were in danger. Considering that Sam's ex girlfriend had died not so long ago, Buffy if the reason why the brunette had lasted so long without anything happening to her was because death was just avoiding tackling Cordelia Chase.

Of course, the Slayer felt a twinge of guilt after the thought fluttered through her mind, but not _too_ much.

The brunette was still a veritable _pain_.

"It's times like these with patriarchal curses that Giles would be the most useful with his books and stuff…" Buffy frowned as she turned towards Dean. "So of _course_ he's not around."

"Where _is_ English?" Dean folded his arms over his chest.

"At a retreat in the clearing in Breaker's Woods." The Slayer replied.

"I know the spot, it's like a forty-five minute drive." Dean's gaze went to Cordelia, who was charming the landlady into a possible discount on the monthly payments should they snatch up this place. "If Cordelia wants this place, then we could sign the papers, and then motor it to Breaker's Woods."

Buffy nodded. "I agree. He really wanted to go to this retreat, but times a'ticking."

"I want this place!" Cordelia had apparently finally detached herself from her potential landlady. "We've got two rooms, a _huge_ amount of closet space, _and_ the view is to _die_ for!" She looped her arms around Dean and grinned up in his face. " _Please_ don't fight me on this. I'll only win in the end. And during the time we're arguing someone else might have snatched this place up and I will _never_ wear my cheerleading outfit for you _ever_ again."

"Eeeeewwww! I didn't need to know about your perverted little bedroom games!" Buffy gasped, bringing her hands to her ears. "I feel the need to scrub out my brain now!"

"Who invited you into this conversation?" Cordelia wanted to know.

"Sometimes I wonder why I'm always agreeing to help save your life." Buffy let her know.

Dean stepped in before they could start one of their epic fights. "Baby, let's go sign those papers."

Fight forgotten, Cordelia squealed and kissed him before dragging him over to where the landlady was pulling out the paperwork.

Buffy watched them, shaking her head. "He is _so_ whipped."

* * *

Even though he was a vampire, and had had his bloodlust relieved thanks to his little Nibblet tilting her head to the side and offering him a taste of his favorite blood, Spike hated to admit it but he still liked a lot of the things humans did. He enjoyed their food, especially those little onions the Bronze used to fry in the shape of a flower, and whenever he was down he had a thing for hot chocolate. He must have partaken in the beverage quite a lot during the Pup's stay because the giant with his back to the vampire was in the process of making three cups of the delicious ambrosia of the gods.

Chloe was bathing now that Sam had gotten out of the shower, and Spike took the time to eye the guy who was to blame for his current misery.

Then again, he really couldn't blame the witch, could he? Spike could admit that he and Dru had broken up a family to steal their mother-figure away, and he could demonically appreciate having karma come and bite him in the ass. He really should have been expecting it, now that he sat down and thought about it. The Pup had blended in too well into their Family, which meant he had an evil streak up in there somewhere, and he was gutsy, and Dru had been _fond_ of him. That should have warned Spike that the Pup wasn't just puppy dog eyes and awkward limbs.

And anyway, even if the giant had given 'Gelus back his soul it wouldn't have mattered if the Soul wasn't so damned…damned….DAMNED!

Spike huffed, his frustration and annoyance growing and turning in a new direction.

It was _Angel_ who was to blame.

 _Angel_ was always the one who fucked up the family.

Dru had been _right_.

Spike _should_ have just staked the bastard.

Nibbles would have gotten over it…eventually…maybe…probably not.

Spike sighed, depressed all over again.

He couldn't bloody win, could he?

And being depressed again made him think of his Dark Princess, a little sob near escaping his lips as he decided he didn't do 'quiet'. "So, I'm strolling through the park, looking for a meal, and I happen to walk by and she's making out with the chaos demon!"

Sam sent him a look over his shoulder as he finished preparing the first two mugs, bringing one over to plant in front of Spike as he cradled his own.

"And so I said, 'You know, I don't have to put up with this'." Spike continued on, stirring the hot chocolate in despondency. "And she said, 'Fine!' So _I_ said, 'Fine, do whatever you like!' I mean, I thought we were going to make up, you know."

"Don't take this the wrong way, Spike." The Pup made a face. "But from what I remember of my time with you guys, she's always been somewhat unreasonable."

"Oh, I know." The vampire nodded. "She's out of her mind." He sniffed. "That's what I miss most about her." He smiled softly at the memory.

The Pup cleared his throat, sending a look towards Chloe's bedroom before sighing and turning his attention back onto Spike. "Well, uh, sometimes when two people seem right for each other, their lives just, uh, take them in different paths."

"No, this is different. Our love was eternal. _Literally_." He paused, suddenly noticing something. "You got any of those little marshmallows?"

The Pup blinked, surprised at the change in topic. "I should, uh, Chloe loves them too so I think she has a stash somewhere."

The vampire watched the boy searching the cabinets, and sighed, pursing his lips as he considered him.

Ensouling aside, this guy wasn't all that bad.

He made decent hot chocolate, that in itself made him tolerable.

"Now that it's just us men and Nibbles is off having a bath, let me ask you something."

"Do I really have a choice?" The witch mumbled, still searching for the marshmallows.

"Not really," Spike admitted, taking a sip of the warm beverage before continuing. "What's the deal with you and Nibbles?" He leaned further over the counter, eyeing the giant curiously. "You've been hormonal over her since you were a head with limbs…so why haven't you sealed the deal now that the Soul's gone and made himself scarce?"

"Why haven't _you_?"

"Ah, the Pup learns to _growl_ ," Spike chuckled, amused.

The witch was far from amused as he threw the bag of recently discovered marshmallows to the vampire. "Why do you always call me that?"

"Because you're no Hellhound, that's why!" Spike caught the bag, opening it and pouring the tiny little pieces of hell into his drink. "You've got a _lot_ of growing up before you could be that, in my book."

"Why is it that _nothing_ you say ever makes sense to me?" The giant mumbled.

Feeling generous, Spike stirred the marshmallows into his beverage. "When my Dark Princess and I brought back 'Gelus, she announced that Hell and her Hound were still in need of joining the fold."

The giant blinked.

"You've got to understand, mate, back then you were incredibly _awkward_ looking. No way could I even wrap my head around her calling you a Hellhound, they are _marvelous_ , monstrously large, powerful and fierce beasts." The vampire paused as he eyed the man that the boy had grown into. "Guess you just needed a couple of years to grow up."

The guy just took a long sip of his hot chocolate, narrowed eyes on the bleached blonde.

"Now, if you're asking for my opinion, I'd say you'd be a fool not to take this opportunity to finally make your move." The vampire preached, forgetting for a second that he wasn't exactly the best person to be giving out relationship advice at the moment. "It's been _years_ in the making, and if her scent and reactions have anything to say about the matter, she's finally realized you've got dangly bits."

The giant coughed, choking on his drink.

The vampire took the opportunity to blow on the melting marshmallows and take a long gulp of the delicious beverage.

Having abandoned his own glass, the Pup hunched over the counter, his palms flat on the surface, as he finally got over his coughing fit, raising wary eyes on him. " _Why_ exactly would _you_ of _all_ people be encouraging me to make a move on her?"

"Hey, as I see it, there are two options here, and I'm Team Puppy Dog." The vampire declared. "What has the Soul done for me other than leave me high and dry each and every time he's made an appearance? _Sure_ , with you I've spent a night in a tub, but let's face it, I've slept in worse places." He finished his glass and sat it down loudly on the counter before meeting those wary, narrowed eyes straight-on. "How I see it, my Dark Princess, though pissed at you at this moment spouting 'Bad Doggie!'…considers you a part of this family. So I have to as well."

His eyes widened.

"The Hellhound is the inferno's keeper, protector, guardian. Think Cerberus if you may, guarding the gates to hell." The vampire reached for the pack of marshmallows and began plopping them into his mouth. "Chloe's an integral part of my family, and by proxy to your connection with her, you are too…although you've done _nothing_ to ingratiate yourself in my books."

"Look," The witch began. "I am _not_ -."

"Also, if you don't make your mark now, the Soul's gonna come back and take her." Spike could see the Pup's body tense. "What? You didn't _really_ think that the Poofster was gone for _good_ did you?" He snickered. "Peaches might be off brooding and being an _utter_ twat at the moment, but kid yourself not, he's _in love_ with that woman in there and _will_ put on his Big Girl Panties and come back to win her over again." The vampire raised a scarred eyebrow. "The only question in this whole scenario is if he's going to have some competition-or if she'll be free to be swept off of her feet."

The giant was silent.

The vampire smirked at him.

The door to Chloe's room opened and she emerged, fresh faced and smiling brightly, putting her wet hair up in a ponytail. "How are my two favorite men in the world?"

Spike smirked up at her. "You flatter me…continue."

Laughing, the blonde reached his side and pressed a kiss to his cheek, stealing a marshmallow from the plastic bag in his hand before plopping it into her mouth and chewing, her gaze going to Sam.

The Pup cleared his throat, his face still slightly disturbed before he gave her a little smile. "Hot chocolate?"

The blonde looked between the two of them curiously before nodding. "Thanks."

* * *

"So what _exactly_ is Giles doing in the middle of nowhere?" Cordelia wanted to know, making up her face as they drove deeper into Breaker's Woods. "From my experience, the only thing that happens in the woods are mass orgies or mass murders."

"When have you ever experienced a mass orgy?" Dean wanted to know, ever the guy.

Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"He's here for a Watcher's Retreat thingy that's going on." Buffy shrugged, not wanting to hear anything that had to do with Cordelia Chase and mass orgies. "He says they usually get together annually to study some constellation's affect on something or the other…or something like that."

"Way to vague it up." Dean snickered.

"Well, excuse me, my mind started to wander after he started mentioning old greek dudes who wrote down things." Buffy shrugged. "This has never been my forte."

"You Tarzan, he Jane." Dean chuckled, repeating something he'd said a _very_ long time ago.

Buffy's lips twitched in fond amusement as nostalgia set it. "Can you believe just how much has changed since then?"

"I _know_." Cordelia was, surprisingly enough, the first to agree with her. "Fashion sense _alone_ has _completely_ done a 180! Remember when big hair was _in_?"

Buffy wanted to be above it all, but she couldn't. "Please don't remind me."

Dean ignored them. "We're getting close to the clearing…should there be an infestation of tweed-lovers prancing all around the place smoking pipes or whatever Watchers do while pretending to be outdoorsy types?"

Buffy frowned, realizing that there _should_ be _some_ sort of sign that there was a retreat going on.

"I'm telling you," Cordelia pursed her lips. "We're either going to come upon a huge mass murder, or orgy, and I don't know which will be more traumatizing."

The Slayer rolled her eyes. "This is _not_ going to be a mass murdery event."

"Are we saying there's still a chance for it to be a mass-orgy event?" Dean wanted to know warily.

"Ohmygod _no_!" Exasperated, Buffy leaned forwards between the front seats as they turned the corner, coming upon the clearing. "There is _not_ going to be an orgy or a-."

Dean stepped on the breaks.

Cordelia sighed.

Buffy's eyes widened in horror at the disaster before her.

There was nothing left of the Watcher's Annual Breaker's Woods Retreat other than torn down tents, bloody gear, destroyed vehicles, and mutilated bodies.

Buffy's heart plummeted to her stomach in horror as she surveyed the aftermath of a massacre, her gaze finally resting on what remained of a horribly familiar car. " _Giles_."

* * *

Considering that Spike just couldn't _shut up_ and let Sam concentrate as he got things ready for the spell, the vampire had been banished to Chloe's room and the blonde sat with him on the bed, keeping him company.

"I used to bring her rats with the morning paper." Spike sat crossed legged across from her. "How can she just not care anymore about those little details?"

The blonde sighed, shaking her head. "Moping around is not going to get her back."

"The _spell's_ gonna get her back." Spike declared confidently. "If your boy can get back 'Gelus' soul-he can get me my Dru back."

Chloe gazed at the pattern of her bed sheet silently. "Would you really want her back like that?"

Spike frowned. "What do you mean?"

"If Sam does this spell for you, and you get her back, won't it always be in the back of your mind that she's only with you because of _magic?_ "

"I wouldn't care."

Green eyes rose to his. "Yes. You would."

Spike slid his gaze away from her, slouching down. "I'm nothing without her."

" _You_ are the Slayer Killer, Spike, not Dru." Chloe knew that that was a big thing of pride in the vampire world, and while she would _not_ be encouraging Spike to kill any of the Slayers alive now, she knew that he needed picking up. "You're _William the Bloody_ …a Master in your own right."

Spike sighed, still obviously depressed.

Chloe reached out and placed her hand on his. "Maybe you should think about moving on. It wouldn't be the first time that you two have had a break."

"Move on. Yeah." He scoffed. "You're one to talk."

"Meaning?" Chloe narrowed her eyes on him.

" _Meaning_ ," the vampire met her gaze dead on. "Peaches left you high and dry and you're not only still mooning over him, but you're wearing his damn corny ring."

Chloe's gaze went to the ring in question, twisting it around her finger, gulping.

"He's going to come back and you're going to take him back."

"He's not coming back." She whispered.

"Bullshit and you _know_ it." Spike shook his head. "You'll be in love till it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other till it makes you quiver, but you won't be able to stay away from each other and you will _never_ just be friends." He pointed a black nail to his temple. "Love isn't brains, pet, it's _blood_ …" he clasped his chest. "…blood screaming inside you to work its will."

Chloe's gaze lowered further, not wanting to hear this.

"Angel's gonna come back, you're going to take him back, and you're going to be right where you left off with a bloody love triangle with the Pup."

Chloe's gaze rose finally at that. "Sam and I are _not_ -."

"-just friends." Spike finished. "C'mon luv. Man up and admit it finally. There's more than friendship there. You know it. He knows it. _Angel_ bloody well knows it."

Chloe lowered her gaze once more, gulping.

"I may be love's bitch, but at least _I'm_ man enough to admit it." He sighed, reaching up to cup her cheek with his cold hand, caressing her skin with his thumb.

"We're quite the match, aren't we?" She whispered, leaning into the touch.

"Would have been better if you and I had fallen in love." He agreed.

" _So_ much better." She nodded, voice beginning to wobble for the first time since Angel had walked out on her, the blonde finally yanking off the ring. She moved to throw it away…and yet couldn't do it, and hated herself for it as she slowly slipped it back onto her digit. "We're perfect for each other."

"A right pair we are." Sighing, Spike drew her into his arms, the two of them lowering to lay on the bed, cradled in each other's arms, mourning their horrible luck when it came to love.

* * *

"What the hell happened here?" Dean moved around the campsite carefully while Cordelia locked herself in their car and tried calling Sam and Chloe. The sun was setting around them."They've been torn _apart_."

"GILES!" Buffy yelled out, refusing to look at the bodies. "GILES! WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Slayer, I know your'e worried about English, but you need to see this." Dean bent down by the body of a mauled woman. "All of them are missing their hearts."

"GILES! RUPERT GILES!" Buffy tried one last time before cursing and kicking at a discarded, bloodied pot, finally turning her attention to Dean. "We need to find him. Whatever did this is still out there."

"These bodies are cold, and from how stiff they are this happened hours ago, maybe even last night."

"He's _alive_." Buffy snapped, not even willing to consider the alternative. "Whatever did this is probably tracking him."

"What _did_ this?" Dean wanted to know. "Do you know of any sort of demon that does this sort of damage? Cause the whole taking the heart out of each and every victim, and the _amount_ of destruction says this wasn't a bear."

"I don't know." Buffy hated it. "I-Giles would know in a _second_ what would do this."

"Chloe and Sam might." Dean took a couple of pictures with his phone before finally standing.

As if on cue, Cordelia lowered the window enough for her to be able to yell out. "There's no reception here! I can't get a call out!"

"I'm guessing these guys figured that problem out too late." Dean frowned, staring at the bodies.

Taking in a deep breath, Buffy nodded. "You and Cordelia need to go back to where the others are and figure out what this could be. I'll stay here and find Giles."

"You can't stay here." Dean frowned at her. "We don't know what's out there or how many of them they are."

"I'm the Slayer, I can handle this."

"Your whole Me Slayer Me Invincible act _still_ annoys me." Dean informed her, going towards the car and opening the trunk.

"What are you doing?" Buffy asked, eyes widening when the false bottom to the trunk was removed, revealing the weapons cache beneath. "Whoa."

"I'm thinking about getting a different car because this one doesn't have the trunk space I need to lay out everything I have." Dean declared, pulling out a stake, holy water, gun with what seemed like homemade bullets, and a machete. "Your pick."

"I have my own stake." She reached down into her boot, pulling out Mr Pointy. "Holy water and an…ax?" She grinned, putting back Mr Pointy and picking up the things mentioned. "Winchester, my estimation of you has escalated _tenfold_."

Snickering, Dean grabbed two walkie talkies and flashlights, passed one of each to her before lowering the false bottom and then the trunk's top, going around to the front, motioning for Cordelia to put down the window.

The brunette inside did so. "What's the plan?"

"You go back and give Chloe and Sam this, there's pictures of what we're dealing with." He passed her the phone. "Then you stay there when they figure out what this is and how to kill it."

"Safe and sound, I like the sound of that." She nodded, before frowning. "But what about you?"

He raised the machete.

She frowned. "Why don't you just let Buffy handle this one? She _is_ the Slayer."

Dean leaned in and kissed her deeply before pulling back out. "Drive fast. And buckle up."

"If you get hurt I'm exiling your cute tush to the couch." She warned, pointing her finger at him. "Don't expect me to baby you and nurse you back to health or anything."

"Never." He promised.

She sighed, reaching up and grabbing his shirt, pulling him closer to give him a deeper kiss before letting go and closing the window again, slipping into the driver's seat.

Buffy joined Dean's side as Cordelia started the engine and reversed around before stepping on the gas and getting the hell out of there. "Don't worry about _me_ or anything."

Dean sent her a sideways glance as he smirked. "Let's go find English."

Sighing, Buffy met his gaze and nodded.

* * *

Sensing movement, Sam looked up from the book and ingredients he had around him, readying himself. "Oh, Spike." He straightened. "I'm almost ready."

"Sod the spell." The vampire waved it off.

" _Huh_?" Sam blinked, straightening, confused. "I don't understand. I thought-."

"I'm really glad that I came here, you know?" The bleached blonde smirked, leaning against the wall, folding his arms over his chest. "Helped put my head into perspective, made me realize I've been all wrongheaded about this." He made a face. "I've been weeping, crawling, blaming everybody else. If I want Dru back, I've just gotta be the man I was." He pushed away from the wall and stood proud. "The man she _loved_." He grinned brightly. "After talking with my favorite little Nibblet, she made me realize what I shoulda done in the first place."

Sam narrowed his eyes curiously. "And that would be?"

"I'm going to find Dru wherever she is, tie her up," Spike grinned toothily, "and then I'll _torture_ her until she likes me again."

"Chloe helped you figure this out?" Sam didn't know exactly how to take that.

"Yeah, right before she fell asleep." Spike nodded, moving towards the door, pausing right before he opening it, turning back to face the confused witch. "See you later, Sam."

And with that, he was gone outside, disappearing into the darkness.

* * *

Night had descended on the two in the woods, their flashlights barely able to pierce through the darkness.

"Whatever killed the Watchers is still out here." Buffy whispered, tightening her grip on the ax. "My Spidey Senses are _tingling_."

"Don't got Spidey Senses." Dean shone his light around him, eyes narrowed. "But this place is dead quiet…that only happens when a predator is close by…and I doubt it's _us_."

"Do you hear that?" Buffy turned around, shining her flashlight.

"What?" Dean's gaze went towards her.

Suddenly something large bounded out of the foliage and barreled into Dean, sending him to the ground, the blow disorienting him. He barely had enough time to shove his heavy-duty flashlight into the creature's mouth when it tried to snap at his face.

Buffy yelled, the sound of struggling proving that there was definitely another one of those things out there.

As the creature fought to get the flashlight from where it was jammed inside of it's mouth, Dean struggled out from underneath it and searched for where the machete had fallen during his fall. His hands ruffled through the ground, finding nothing but leaves, and even though his gun only had rocksalt bullets the sandy blonde turned and grabbed it, pointing it to the creature and pulling the trigger when it jumped towards him. He knew it wouldn't kill the thing, but it'd hurt like hell, and maybe disorient it enough for him to find his damn machete.

* * *

Throwing the holy water onto this creature was eliciting no reaction, so Buffy threw the container with the water at its face and front snap kicked its jaw, sending it back in time to perform a full-spinning wheel kick to its face. Her Spidey Senses were screaming right about now, the Slayer twirling round the managing to duck another one of these creatures as it jumped at her.

Gunshots and snarls proved that Dean was still very much alive.

The Slayer didn't have time to celebrate that as the two creatures circled her, the shadows of the night hiding all but their large forms and white fangs from her.

She kept herself alert, tightening her grip on the axe as she moved slowly with them, making sure that each were in her view at each instance.

The creatures roared, charging fractions of a second behind the other.

Behind them, Dean yelled in pain as jaws clenched down on his arm.

Reacting on instinct, Buffy threw the ax towards the creature attacking him, the blade embedding itself deep into its skull, the monster crying out before collapsing dead upon its victim.

It only gave her a split second to remember the two charging her before the first reached her, the Slayer crouching down and sweep kicking it in the legs, causing the creature to cry out as it flipped over into a diving shoulder roll. She then quickly backflipped twice when the second got two close, bringing her foot up in a snap kick to its face on the last flip. She then swung around and kicked it as hard as she could on its neck sideways, a loud crack echoing in the night as the creature fell, never to rise again.

Turning, Buffy reached out and grabbed the first of the monsters by the neck in time to be knocked down, struggling to keep those snapping fangs from her face.

The creature yelped and threw itself off of her, Dean's machete sticking out of its back.

The guy tossed her her bloody ax.

Buffy reached out and caught it by the handle, gaze going to his bloody arm as Dean went towards the limping creature, yanked out his machete and drove it into the creature's neck, delivering the killing blow.

Silence remained in the woods.

"How's your arm?" Buffy stood, gaze around her, narrowed, waiting.

"Peachy." Dean replied, yanking back out his machete and joining her side. "How are those Spidey Sense of yours?"

"Still wigging out." Buffy's hazels narrowed on the woods around them. "There has to be more of those things out there."

"NOW!" Someone yelled, _flaming arrows_ raining down from the trees above, causing the bushes to catch on fire, betraying the position of four other creatures, who'd been creeping towards the two unseen in the darkness.

Not stopping to wonder exactly was going on and who had turned on the lights, Buffy flung the ax at the second closest creature, the ax embedding itself deep between it neck and shoulder blade. The Slayer raced towards the closest creature and when it jumped she slid downward, sliding down under the monster as she yanked out the ax from the shoulder of the fallen. With one smooth movement she twirled around and flung the ax at the back of the one she'd just slid under.

One of the creatures roared as it ran around, pelt completely on fire, the scent of burning flesh searing the air.

The other lay dead on the ground, head clean off of its body.

Dean stood over it, his uninjured arm's muscles clenched as he gripped his machete tightly, staring down at the decapitated head illuminated by the blazing fires. "What the hell _are_ these fugly bastards?"

Buffy didn't answer, sensing movement and turning in time to see a shadow jump down from one of the trees.

The figure barely hit the ground before walking determinedly towards her, other shadows descending slowly yet surely to the ground all around them.

Finally, she recognized the stride right before the light of the flames chased away the shadows on his face.

" _Giles_." Buffy whispered, racing towards her Watcher and flying into his arms, hugging him tightly.

His arms went around her, holding her close. "What took you so bloody long?"

She laughed softly into his chest, fighting the desire to cry from relief. "I figured you were somewhere, knocked out."

"I don't _always_ get knocked out," he mumbled.

She just smiled, holding him tighter, as the few remaining Watchers who'd survived the massacre drew closer.

"I hope, whatever these damn things are, that they aren't _contagious_." Dean muttered, gazing at his bloodied arm warily.

"You mean you don't _know_ what they are and what their appearance here _means_?" A woman gasped in scandal. "Are you _not_ part of the Slayer's group? It should be _obvious_ what this means for everyone!"

He made a face at her. "Lady, if you know something, just spit it out. No one likes a Know It All."

She sputtered, indignant.

Giles loosened his grip on Buffy, pushing his glasses further up his nose. "They're Hellhounds."

Buffy's eyes widened in shock. " _Hellhounds_?"

"Yes." Her Watcher nodded, his gaze going to the carcasses all around them. "Their…existence…is not contagious." his gaze went to Dean. "They aren't _werewolves_. You can't _contract_ what they are like some sort of virus or transmutation."

"Good." Dean nodded. "Because the _last_ time one of us was transmutated an innocent pig lost its life."

A couple of the Watchers shared confused looks as they drew closer.

"So did Principal Flutie." Buffy reminded him.

"Oh, yeah." Dean blinked.

The Slayer rolled her eyes before turning her gaze back on Giles. "So, what's the damage? Obviously Hellhounds attacking isn't a good thing-for more reasons than the obvious."

"Hellhounds are the guardians of the portals between all worlds." The female Watcher declared, as if unable to believe that the Slayer herself didn't know this. "And this was a deliberate _hit_. Some of the most _influential_ minds of the Watcher's Council were here on this retreat."

"So you're saying someone put a hit on the Watcher's Council?" Buffy's eyes widened.

"I'm afraid that it's a little more serious than that." Giles removed his glasses and ran his hand over his eyes before putting the glasses back on. "Hellhounds have very distinctive, purposeful role in the supernatural world. They are guardians of the doors to hell…and rarely ever leave their post to journey to our plane of existence."

"Wait, if all hell mouths have Hellhounds guarding them-why haven't we seen them before tonight?" Dean asked a good question as he drew near. "The Hellmouth in Sunnydale opened up. We should have seen one."

"That Hellmouth was never properly closed, not with the Master stuck within, so there was never a closed door to guard." Giles replied severely.

"There isn't a Hellmouth in Breaker's Woods, is there?" Buffy made up her nose in confusion.

"Of course not." The female Watcher sniffed. "Don't be ridiculous."

The Slayer ignored her, gaze on Giles. "What's going on?"

He sighed. "Buffy, these puppies-."

"Wait, _puppies_?" Dean interrupted, stepping closer. "You're telling me these monstrosities are the cute, cuddly versions?"

"Yes, that is the only reason why fire worked on them, because they had not fully matured to their fire-retardant adult versions." Giles nodded, severe. "If they are out here, the mystical convergences-maybe _worldwide_ -are in an upheaval of _momentous_ proportions."

"So basically, the world's going to _hell_ , isn't it?" Dean sighed.

Giles nodded. "It would seem that the mystical powers are either reacting-or anticipating-a great upheaval unlike any this earth might have ever experienced."

"That's never good." Buffy grumbled, leaning hard against a scratched up tree.

"I am afraid," Giles declared. "That we must all prepare for whatever is about to befall."

* * *

 **TBC**


	6. Nightmare

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Based on Supernatural Season 1 "Nightmare"

* * *

"I give _up_!" Buffy snapped, throwing the book behind her in frustration. "When is English going to be of any use to me _really_? I already speak, read and write it. Shouldn't that be enough?"

Sam reached his hand out, eyes darkening as the book stopped its descent before it could reach the floor, slowly returning right back to the table in front of the Slayer. "Buffy. I did _not_ give up most of _my own_ study time to help _you_ get ready so that you could give up _two days_ before your test."

"Why don't you give _her_ a hard time?" The Slayer pouted, pointing towards the blonde with her nose in a romance book. "She's not even studying!"

"Because she finished her revisions!" Sam glared at the Slayer. "She's _ready_."

"So ready." Chloe flipped the page, getting more comfortable in the love seat.

"Who asked you?" Buffy pouted before sighing and turning to Sam. "Can't you just, I don't know, _spell_ me ready for the test?"

"Buffy…" Sam stared deep into her eyes. " _No_."

The Slayer groaned and turned to where Giles was opposite Chloe, his nose in a book as well, though this one did _not_ have attractive, half naked people on the cover. "Giles!"

"No cheating." The Watcher, just like Chloe, couldn't deign to look away from what he was reading. "The Slayer must always achieve her goals through careful study, hard work, and determination."

"And anyway," Cordelia kept her attention on the nails she was painting. "You would have already had these tests and graduated from high school if you hadn't run away and abandoned everyone. So stop whining."

"Your empathy _amazes_ me." Dean rolled his eyes at his girlfriend, running his hand over his bandaged arm.

The brunette sent him an amused smile.

Buffy rolled her eyes at them before returning her gaze on Sam.

" _No_." He anticipated her pleading. "Buffy, you can do this. You just need to _concentrate_."

"She's always had a problem with that, even during Slayer training." Giles mumbled, flipping a page. "I noticed incentive used to work for her though-a treat, so to speak."

"What am I, a _poodle_?" Buffy mumbled, folding her arms over her chest.

"Your hair's puffy enough," Cordelia declared innocently.

" _Winchester_ …" Buffy growled warningly.

Chuckling Dean picked up the Spanish fan Cordelia had had resting on her lap, fanning his girlfriend's freshly painted fingernails when she raised them in silent demand.

Realizing there would be no help from _him_ , Buffy turned towards Sam, yet instead of seeing him she instead found herself sitting on the ground of a garage.

"The _hell_?" Slowly standing, Buffy looked around her in confusion, narrowing her eyes as she twirled around at the sound of the garage door opening in time for a man to drive in and turn off the engine.

The man didn't seem to notice her, instead gaze going to the garage door as it started winding down by itself, the man eyeing it in confusion.

Suddenly, his car doors self-locked.

"This isn't good." Buffy whispered, hurrying to the car- _going through it_ -to the other side.

It hit her then, what was happening.

"This is a dream."

The man struggled with his doors, unable to open them as the ignition key turned by itself and the engine started, exhaust smoke beginning to fill the garage.

"A nightmare."

The man struggled in vain to turn off the engine, the radio flickering on to "In My Time of Dying" by Led Zeppelin as he began to cough.

Unaffected by the fumes, the Slayer stood there, staring at the scene in impotence.

"Help!" He yelled, pounding at the windows frantically. "Somebody help me!"

Buffy gulped back her emotion, staring at the man, watching as the smoke grew thicker and thicker around him.

"A _vision_."

Finally he keeled over.

The Slayer closed her eyes, a single tear silently making its way down her cheek.

* * *

He felt the shift and it awoke him seconds before the screams pierced the air.

Terror churning in his stomach, Sam threw the covers off of his body and raced out of his room towards the guest bedroom. He threw the door open and hesitated for a second, blue/greens falling upon Chloe as she struggled in bed, appearing to suffer nothing more than a horrifying nightmare to the naked eye. But to his own fine tuned gaze, he could see the swirls of Hellmouth energy faintly circling around her, escaping her pores in small whiffs that tried forcing their way back into her body and yet something in her was barring their return. They were such small, insignificant amounts that they wouldn't harm anymore, and wouldn't even have been picked up on if the person in the room wasn't so fine-tuned to the Hellmouth energy she emitted-hadn't had a substantial taste of it too many times to have ever forgotten the burnt taste it left in the back of his mouth.

" _Chloe_?" Sam moved, hurrying towards her and leaning over the kicking, screaming blonde, hands on her shoulders. "Chloe wake up!"

She clawed at his arms, screaming, struggling, crying.

"Chloe!" Sam shook her, ignoring the pain as her nails dug deep and drew blood. "Chloe that's enough! Wake up!"

Suddenly her eyes flew opened and she drew in a deep breath, her tear-drenched lashes blinking as confusion filled her eyes as she stared up at him. "Sam?"

He frowned, staring down at her, worried.

"Why are you-?" Her eyes widened when she saw the condition of his arms. "What happened?"

"Are you okay?" Sam was far more concerned with her.

" _What_? Yes." Her confused orbs rose from his hands to his eyes. "Why would you-?"

Letting out a sigh of relief, Sam collapsed onto the bed's edge, staring down at her. "What were you dreaming of?"

"Dreaming?" Chloe slowly sat up, confusion plain on her face. "I wasn't dreaming anything."

His eyes narrowed on her face, lifting his arms for her to survey the damage.

The blonde's eyes widened in understanding, a gasp escaping her lips. " _No_."

"We need to talk to Giles first thing tomorrow morning." Sam declared softly. "Whenever you start having nightmares you don't remember, something _very_ bad is about to happen. Coupled with the whole Hellhounds running free…I think we need to start preparing for the worse."

"What could possibly be worse than the Hellmouth opening and the Master getting out?" The blonde wanted to know, hugging herself.

His eyes stayed on her. "That's what we need to find out."

Exhaling, the blonde reached under her pillow and pulled out a knife.

Sam raised an eyebrow.

"Old habits die hard," she responded in a whisper, the blade catching the glint of the moonlight streaming through the curtains as it sliced her palm.

" _What are you doing_?" Sam snapped, surging forwards and yanking the blade out of her grip and throwing it away.

The blonde merely offered up her cupped hand, which was filling with her own blood.

Sam frowned as he stared at it.

She raised her hand closer towards him. "It'll heal the injuries I gave you…and it's freely given…you'll be fine."

"I'm not hurt that badly," Sam whispered hoarsely. "They're just scratches."

The blonde didn't answer, the blood beginning to slowly trickle down the side of her palm down her wrist.

"Whenever Angelus or Spike or Drusilla got hurt they expected this, didn't they?" Sam asked darkly. "No matter how minimal the damage they expected you to bleed for them."

"Isn't that what we _all_ expect from our family?" She offered him the hand once more, the blood now trailing down to her elbows. " _Please_."

His eyes closed as he sighed before they opened once more. "Don't ever hurt yourself again for me."

She tilted her head to the side.

Finally, Sam drew closer, hesitating a second before cupping her hand in his two much larger ones, bringing her cupped palm to his lips. His blue/greens connected with her greens as he slowly tilted her hand, her blood gushing into his lips and seeming to explode in the back of his throat into a million different tastes and sensation. It was warm, and while the metallic was strong there was something underneath of it. Unconsciously he found his grip on her tightening as he swallowed, his eyes fluttering closed at the electric warmth spreading around his body, his own arms tingling as they healed. He'd seen Angelus, Spike and sometimes even Dru feeding from Chloe and it had always filled him with disgust, and yet at the taste of her blood he hated how he could understand their addiction to it. His tongue softly scraped over the already healing cut in her palm.

The hand in his shivered.

Sam's eyes opened slowly as his gaze rose to her face, which even in the shadows of the night betrayed a flush, her eyelids lowered slightly as her lips parted.

He gulped, closing his hands over hers.

Chloe's gaze found his, her orbs betraying that fact that she was a little confused, a little hesitant, and aroused.

With her having just earned her GED, and still actively looking for an apartment of her own, Sam was admittedly feeling a little desperate, Spike's words taunting him.

He knew that if he didn't make his move soon, if he didn't somehow at least let her realize he was a viable option, Angel _would_ return and Sam would have squandered his only opportunity.

A voice in him whispered that he didn't want to take advantage of her emotion vulnerability.

Another hissed that it would _not_ be her rebound guy.

Yet another _didn't care_ about either of those things.

Chloe brought her free hand up to her heart, the ring on her finger catching on the light.

It was enough to break the spell, Angel's claim still very much upon her, and Sam nearly snarled at himself as he let go of her hand and stood, heading back towards the door.

And anyway, what had he been thinking?

He was _cursed_!

The women he was with intimately were _doomed_!

Jess had already died…and there was no way that he would put Chloe in that sort of danger.

" _Sam_?" Her voice was soft and confused behind him.

He stopped in the doorway, his back to her and grip on the doorframe so tight he wouldn't be surprised if he found his fingerprints on it tomorrow. "We should sleep. Giles' shipment of books from storage are arriving tomorrow. He thinks we might find something on the Winchester curse in them. We also need to prepare for whatever's coming."

There was silence for a moment, and then a sigh. "Goodnight, Sam."

Closing his eyes, Sam slipped out of the room and closed the door behind him without another word.

* * *

"Are you sure it's the same man from your dreams?" Giles asked as he quickly browsed through the report of the apparent "suicide" that'd taken place not too far from his own home the previous night. The picture of the man, Jim Miller, was next to the one of his body being taken away by the paramedics, his wife, brother and son both staring in agony at it as it was hauled towards the ambulance.

"That's definitely him-the _car_ is even the same." Buffy exclaimed, leaning forwards onto the table, eyes narrowed on him.

"According to this article he was a devout Catholic, attended Mass every Sunday at St Augustines." Giles made up his face.

"Don't Catholics believe they'll go to hell if they commit suicide?" Dean wanted to know, from where he was sitting eating one of Giles' muffins, which the Watcher had taken to buying now that Dean and Cordelia were back and everyone was treating the man's house like they had once done with the Sunnydale High School library.

"My point exactly!" The Slayer exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "I'm telling you, I watched it happen. He was murdered by something, Dean. I _watched_ it trap him in the garage."

"What was it, a spirit, poltergeist?" He seemed to believe her, speaking with his mouth full, some crumbs spewing out.

"I don't know _what_ it was." Buffy threw herself on the sofa next to him, annoyance and frustration mounting. "I don't know why I'm having these dreams. I never used to be Vision Girl. I don't _like_ being Vision Girl! And I _definitely_ don't like not knowing what the hell is happening!"

"Why do we care about someone who is already dead when we have someone much more important _alive_ who mightn't be that way for long?" Cordelia wanted to know, pointing at herself. "I don't want to be self-centered or anything. But Hello. I'm still alive. There's something you can do to save _me_. That shouldn't be forgotten."

"She has a point." Dean was, predictably, on his girlfriend's side. "I've tried contacting my father to see if he grew a conscience and wanted to actually tell us the whole truth this time, but he's ignoring my calls."

"Why are you surprised?" Cordelia grumbled, flipping through a fashion magazine with frustration. "It's not like he _hasn't_ always been Super Douche of the Year. I mean, if you look up "Asshole" and "Deadbeat Dad" in the dictionary, they would _both_ have his picture under 'description'." She closed her magazine finally and frowned. "And let's not forget that this is the same man who threatened me and _traumatized_ me when I was a kid. He _obviously_ is unhinged." She made up her face. "And doesn't like me for some unexplainable reason."

"Because you are _so_ likable," Buffy mumbled.

" _Exactly_." Cordelia turned to her, failing to sense the sarcasm. "It's _weird_ , right?"

"Totally." Buffy nodded.

The door opened, Sam and Chloe striding in, both pale and tense, neither looking at each other.

"Well, _you two_ look like crap," Dean declared.

"Chloe's nightmares are starting again," Sam announced.

Buffy's eyes widened, standing once more. "What did you dream?"

"I don't know." The tiny blonde next to the giant brunet shook her head. "I didn't know I was having nightmares until Sam woke me up."

"Goddamn it," Dean groaned. "It's _never_ good when you have nightmares you can't remember."

"The world usually goes to the crapper," Cordelia agreed.

Giles narrowed his eyes. "Both you and Buffy had nightmares the same night, and coupled with her Slayer Senses and your affinity with the Hellmouth energies-and your past involvements in the Apocalypse-I can't help but think that this isn't a coincidence."

"Really, Sherlock?" Cordelia rolled her eyes at him, snorting. "What was your _first_ clue?"

The Watcher made a face at her before clearing his throat and standing. "The last time Buffy had any sort of vision it was of Andy, and it involved Chloe. And back when the both of you had arrived in Sunnydale you were sharing the same nightmares."

"Of the Master." Buffy nodded.

"I believe we should check out the house and talk to Jim Miller's family," Giles declared.

"Who's Jim Miller?" Chloe asked in confusion.

"Some dude Buffy dreamed dying, who did die, last night," Cordelia answered candidly with a half shrug.

Giles passed Sam the newspaper.

"What's the game plan?" Sam wanted to know, reading the article and eyeing the picture of the family. "They seem devastated. I doubt they're going to want to talk to a bunch of strangers."

"Yeah, you're right." Dean stood. "But I think I know _who_ they would talk to."

" _Who_?" Buffy eyed him, narrowing her gaze on him.

Dean just smirked.

* * *

Dean reached out to a doorbell, ringing it.

"This has gotta be a whole new low for us," Sam sighed from his brother's side, hair slicked back neatly.

"Yeah." Dean smirked at his brother. "We're definitely going to one of the hells for this."

The door opened, and the man in the picture with the family (the victim's brother if memory served right) stood there.

"Good afternoon." Dean put on his most innocent smile, trying to look comfortable and at home in the priest costume he and Sam wore. "I'm Father Simmons, this is Father Frehley. We're new junior priests over at St Augustines. May we come in?"

The man nodded wordlessly, stepping out of the way.

"Thank you." Dean nodded as he entered the house.

"We're very sorry for your loss." Sam tried as the door was closed behind them.

"It's in difficult times like these when the Lord's guidance is most needed," Dean declared, channeling those pastors on the television who were always asking for money.

"Look, you wanna pitch your whole "Lord has a plan" thing? Fine," the man snapped. "Just don't pitch it to me. My brother's dead."

" _Roger_. _Please_!" Mrs. Miller appeared.

Roger began moving away. "Excuse me."

The widow shook her head before turning her eyes, red from crying, on them. "i'm sorry about my brother in law. He's-he's just so upset about Jim's death." She tried for a watery smile. "Would you like some coffee?"

Dean nodded. "That would be great."

With that they followed her into the living room, infiltration a success.

* * *

"I'm the one who got the vision." Buffy pouted as she sat with Chloe and Giles going over the books with Cordelia. "So why is it that the Winch Bros get to do the whole fun infiltration part? If there's something wiggy about the house I should be there to handle it. I'm the Slayer. I should be there-Slaying."

"St Augustines doesn't employ nuns, we couldn't go undercover with the boys." Chloe responded, not even looking up from her book. "Plus, the only nun costumes out there are sexy nun ones, and I don't think they'd be fooled by them."

"And, they're _itchy_." Cordelia announced. "You can just _see_ that from the material."

Buffy sighed, leaning her forehead against the book. "But I'm _bored_."

"Buffy, a mystical upheaval-," Giles began.

"I _know_." The Slayer interrupted with a groan. "But the mysticalness has no business upheaving if it won't give me a baddie so I can kick butt."

Giles sighed, gaze going back to his book. "And then she didn't get why I never even brought up the Slayer Handbook."

Buffy looked up at pouted at that. "You're comparing me to Kendra again."

"I'm not-."

"Whatever," Buffy interrupted, absolutely sulking. "It's not like I _care_ or anything."

Cordelia's phone rang and she made a face at the screen. "I don't know that number." She shook her head and reached for her phone, answering it. "Cordelia Chase." She narrowed her eyes before standing and heading towards the door, slipping out of the room.

Chloe frowned as she watched the door close behind the brunette. "I hope everything's okay."

"She's gone, my headache has a chance of maybe going away now," Buffy replied, not really paying any attention. "I have to just put this out there-if the world ends up being destroyed-I'll be _really_ annoyed that I spent as much time as I did studying for the GED. Even if I _did_ pass."

Giles groaned.

Chloe's lips twitched in amusement. "That's one way of looking at it."

Giles' phone rang and he answered it without looking at the caller ID. "Rupert Giles." Like Cordelia before him, Giles' eyes narrowed and he stood, leaving the house.

The two blondes shared a look.

"I'm almost afraid my phone's going to ring too," Chloe mumbled, pulling it out of her pocket and placing it on the table in front of her near warily.

That was when Buffy's phone rang.

* * *

Sitting on the lounge chair, opposite of Sam who sat in an armchair, Dean smiled at Mrs. Miller as she poured coffee and handed it out to them.

"It was wonderful of you to stop by." She smiled bravely. "The support of the church means so much right now."

"Of course." Dean nodded, trying to be a believable junior priest, especially since Sam _really_ wasn't doing his part in this whole thing. "After all we are all God's children."

She smiled softly at that and walked away to tend to some of the other people in the wake.

Dean took the opportunity to grab some cocktail sausages from the table and toss them into his mouth, chewing contentedly before he gazed over at Sam and noticed his brother was shaking his head. "What?"

"Just tone it down a little bit, _Father,_ " Sam mumbled.

Mrs Miller returned.

Dean swallowed the sausages and cleared his throat as she sat down. "So, Mrs. Miller, did your husband have a history of depression?"

"Nothing like that." Tears began to form in her eyes. "We have our ups and downs like everyone but we were happy." A sob escaped her lips. "I just don't understand…how Jim could do something like this."

Finally Sam stepped up to the plate and acted his part. "I'm so sorry you had to find him like that."

Mrs. Miller gestured behind her. "Actually, our son Max, he was the one who found him."

Sam looked behind her through the doors into the dining room, noticing Max sitting into the corner, staring into the place. "Do you mind if maybe I could go and talk to him?"

"Oh thank you Father." She whispered tearfully.

Dean grinned as the woman's back was to him.

Finally! Sammy was getting the picture!

They were _so_ going to crack this case…

…the Slayer was going to be _so_ pissed she wouldn't be needed!

* * *

"Wesley, just _calm down_ and start again." Giles frowned, wondering where Cordelia had gone to since she wasn't outside anywhere, but his attention was quickly returned to the conversation he was trying to have with Sunnydale's Watcher. " _What_ happened?"

In the background he could hear Faith asking: "Hey! Is that G on the phone?"

Mourning the desecration of his name, Giles shook his head, bringing his hand to his forehead, the beginning of a migraine coming upon him.

"Faith _please_." Wesley could be heard arguing with his Slayer. "I am speaking with a _colleague._ Go practice your fighting skills by hitting something with something else."

"You are _such_ a tool." Faith informed him.

"If you refer to a tool of justice and all that's right in this world, then yes, and thank you." Wesley cleared his throat. "Sorry about that Rupert, news has reached my ears about the happening up your side of the pond. Hellhounds on _our_ side…who aren't bringing some damned human being to whatever hell they've sold their souls for."

Giles waited for the younger man to end his melodramatic spiel.

"I wanted you to know that even though I replaced you as the Watcher of the Hellmouth, and even though you lost much of your credentials and status by not only losing your Slayer but the Conduit the Council were so interested in, I am here for you and you have a support in me," Wesley declared.

Giles palmed his hand.

"I've heard they are gathering to discuss her future, especially in light of the whole Hellhound thing."

Giles frowned. This was news to him. "Uh, yes. I suppose so."

"Can't really blame them, can you?" Wesley chuckled. "I mean, the girl is a rare phenomenon in the supernatural world, and they lost a chance at her once already. You cannot blame the Council for being curious and wanting a look under the hood, so to speak."

Giles did _not_ like where this was going.

"Also…" Wesley cleared his throat. "I was calling to inform you of a _most_ outrageous happening here in the Sunnydale Hellmouth."

"What happened?" Giles just wanted this conversation to be over.

"Well, it was after the flying monkeys incident that it came to my attention that there's a new player making a…"big huff"…about these parts." The man cleared his throat. "We had an encounter with him that unfortunately wasn't very positive. Faith and I barely made it out alive."

"I was doing fine against him," Faith grumbled in the background. "If _you_ hadn't tripped and sprained your ankle-."

Wesley cleared his throat loudly, interrupting whatever his Slayer was saying. "He's an Animus Demon. Called himself _Azazel_."

Giles' eyes widened, recognizing the name from Chloe's account of her time with Angelus. "Azazel? What was he doing in Sunnydale?"

"From what I could gather? Preparing."

"For what?" Giles pressed.

"He was very vague on the details, but he did say _one_ thing that stuck with me as he escaped."

After waiting for a couple seconds yet hearing nothing, Giles ran his fingers through his hair. "By god man! Spit it out! What did he say?"

"He said…" Wesley inhaled. "…it was almost time."

"Time for _what_?" Giles narrowed his eyes.

"I haven't the faintest." Wesley was obviously highly reluctant to admit this. "I was hoping _you_ did."

* * *

"You have a lovely home." Dean wasn't really good at the chitchat, but he knew a thing or two about chatting up women and getting information out of them. Hadn't he refined that skill during high school by finding ways of interrogating Cordy's 'friends' on her love life? "How long have you lived here?"

"We moved in about five years ago." Mrs. Miller replied.

"The only problem with these old houses is that they usually come with some little headaches." He tried fishing.

"Like what?" She blinked, looking confused.

He cleared his throat. "Well, weird leaks, electrical shortages, odd settling noises at night." He shrugged. "That sort of thing."

"No, nothing like that." She assured him. "It's been perfect."

"Huh." Okay, maybe the woman had just not noticed the weirdness going around, maybe the _husband_ had and that was why _he_ was the one who'd been ganked. Time to do some investigating. "May I use your restroom?"

"Oh sure." She nodded. "It's just up the stairs."

Rising, Dean took another cocktail sausage with him as he made his way passed the mourners towards the stairs.

* * *

"Mom, calm down, I can _barely_ hear what you're saying." Buffy frowned, narrowing her eyes as she paced outside in Giles' back yard. " _What_ about Ted?"

"He _malfunctioned!_ " Joyce repeated, voice betraying her obviously worry. "I think his short-circuits must have fried or something. He said he was feeling _slow_ and then he was making those delicious little cupcakes I love and there was a little spark in his chest, and then a little smoke, and he _shut down_."

Buffy bit her bottom lip, wincing at the thought of having to actually tell everyone her mother's new man was, well, not exactly a _man_.

Ted Buchanan took the whole "Love Machine" thing to a _whole_ new level.

Literally.

When Buffy had first met the guy she'd felt something was off, but he made her mother so happy she'd tried to ignore it…until she found her mother tinkering in his chest, his fake skin peeled away to reveal the hard metal beneath.

At least it'd served as a good Truth Session, with her mother telling her all about commissioning the "Love Bot" (as Buffy was calling it) from an old schoolmate of Buffy's, Warren Mears, when the loneliness had gotten to be too much…and Buffy finally came clean to her about the whole Slayer business. It'd been therapeutic for both Summers women.

"I don't know what to do. I'm the only one who knows that Ted's a… _cybernetic_ …now that Warren has disappeared. He's the one who would do any fine tuning or troubleshooting for me in the past. But now he's gone and I can't leave Ted like this…deactivated! It's like he's dead!" Joyce cried.

Buffy closed her eyes, unable to hear her mother like that.

When Buffy had left Ted had been there to pick Joyce back up, to give her a purpose, and had been apparently the only thing that'd kept her from going insane. He made her happy. And even if he was _way_ weird, she had to help him because helping him meant helping her mother. "Can you pack him up or something and get here? Sam and Chloe both are good with computers. Maybe they can tinker about and figure out what's wrong with him."

"Thank you Buffy." Her mother cried. "He means so much to me-I can't imagine my life without him."

The Slayer nodded with a sigh. "I know."

* * *

"So." Sam felt guilty about lying and putting on an act for this grieving family, but if this death really _was_ connected to whatever was happening he needed to act his part. "What was your dad like?"

Max shrugged. "Just a normal dad."

"Yeah…" Obviously he was going to have to try a different strategy. "You live at home now?"

"Yeah." Max nodded, gaze going to the pictures on the walls. "Trying to save up for school but it's hard."

"So when you found your dad…" he was being insensitive, but beating around the bushes wasn't working.

"I woke up," Max whispered. "I heard the engine running." There was a long pause as he stared off into space, obviously remembering that very moment. "I don't know why he did it."

The guilt returned. "I know its rough, losing a parent. Especially when you don't have all the answers?"

"All the answers?" Max chuckled darkly. "Try _none_."

* * *

"What do you want?" Cordelia had taken to walking down the street, her high heels clip clopping loudly.

"Is that the way to talk to the guy who could save your life?" John Winchester wanted to know sourly.

"Could, but _won't_." She reminded him with a huff, hurrying her pace.

There was a pause, and then he sighed. "I can't get my sons involved in this."

"What are you talking about?" The brunette snorted. "They're cursed. They're a _part_ of it. They're more a part of it than _I_ am! And I'm supposed to be doomed! Especially when the one man with the answers won't answer his damn phone!"

"Don't take that tone with me, Missy."

"Don't try to order me about, Pops." She growled right back at him.

There was a pause and then he sighed. "I've been trying to figure out a way of ending this curse on the men in our family for years now, it's one of the reasons why I've always been absent, hunting, tracking down people with the know-how."

Her eyes narrowed as she stopped walking. "Why didn't you tell Dean and Sam this when they called you that night?"

Another pause. "I am a man of many secrets."

"Understatement of the _year_." She rolled her eyes.

"Point is, I think I might be close to some answers myself," John revealed. "After Sam's girl went up in flames like his mom-I've known that they'd reached their prime and the curse was activated."

"Wait, you mean the guys had to reach a certain age for the curse to start?" Cordelia's eyes widened, finally understanding why she'd survived this long.

"A maturity level, not age," John corrected. "And Sam has always been more mature than Dean…so I knew that if Sammy's girl had gone up in smoke…that Dean was close to reaching the Starting Point too."

Cordelia gulped. "So, what answers have you found?"

"If you just left him, you wouldn't be in danger." He stated the obvious, obviously hedging the real issue. "You could continue on living your life."

"Mr. Winchester." The brunette flipped her long hair behind her shoulder in irritation. "Despite how much of an utter _idiot_ he is, I'm _in love_ with your son. So stop stalling and tell me what you know already."

"I thought you might say that." He sighed before the line went dead.

Cordelia blinked. "Did he just _hang up_ on me?" She gazed at her phone screen before hitting redial, a ringtone immediately blaring across the street.

Looking up, following the sound, Cordelia's widening eyes fell upon John Winchester, as the man leaned up against his truck, hands in his pockets.

* * *

Entering the upstairs hallway, Dean checked that the coast was clear before pulling out an infer-red thermal scanner from his pocket and turned it on, shining it into rooms as he passed. The readings were all completely normal, no sign of cold spots anyway. As he reached the end of the hall he heard footsteps coming up the stairs and hastily hide the scanner in time for Sam to appear.

"Anything?" His brother asked, coming towards him.

Dean shook his head, disappointed. "Zip. This whole thing was a bust."

Sighing, the brothers moved towards the stairs.

* * *

Considering everyone's phones hand rung but hers, and they were all busy tending to those calls, Chloe was alone in Giles' living room, surrounded by his books. She knew that they had two very important things they were researching-both about the Winchester Curse that was hanging over Cordelia's head, and whatever was going around that was obviously potentially apocalyptic. And yet the blonde couldn't find herself in the mind frame to research. She usually liked research, found comfort in it, was _good_ at it-hence her whole _Research Girl_ self-title while in Sunnydale High school…and yet she couldn't concentrate on anything in front of her.

Her mind was on last night, and what had happened with Sam.

A part of her was relieved he'd left and the other horribly disappointed.

And that made her so confused.

She'd realized after his kiss and willingness to return to captivity to be with her that Sam and her shared something special, something that wasn't truly platonic, but she'd managed to delude herself to the contrary until Spike's little visit.

And now, after last night, she knew for a fact that she was very much attracted to Sam Winchester…a feeling that was reciprocated by him.

It threw her through a loop because this only complicated things more.

Sam-Sam had been right to leave.

They-they didn't need that complication.

Things were great as they were.

They were great as friends.

There was just too many things…

Closing the book with a sigh, the blonde stood, unable and unwilling to stay there anymore.

Snatching up her phone she threw it into her bag and made for the door. She motioned to Giles that she was leaving, the Watcher barely managing a half wave before going back to his conversation, turning his back on her. She pulled a strand of hair out of her face and began walking down the sidewalk, head down, lost in her thoughts and not paying attention to anything around her.

Her phone rang.

Pulling it out of her bag, Chloe eyed the Caller ID and smirked as she answered it, bringing the phone to her ear. "Hey."

"Where are you? Exactly?"

The blonde obediently gave him her address starting from country, to state, to city, to the street she was currently on.

In seconds there was a blur, and then Kal stood in front of her. "I had to get away from Lois before I did something Lucy would ban me to the couch for."

"In laws." Chloe laughed, hugging the man tightly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "They live to drive you insane, don't they?"

"I don't have a problem tolerating _you_." His lips twitched in amusement as she pulled away, the two beginning to walk once more, the alien not seeming at all hot in all that leather while under the intense sun.

"Well, I'm _special_." Chloe looped her arm through his as they continued walking, her expression darkening. "Could you do me a favor and keep your ear to the ground?"

"Anything I should be worried about?" Kal frowned, turning his light blues on her.

"Things are looking Apocalypsy," she admitted. "We're not sure…it could be use all jumping to conclusions...but just in case…"

"I'll have my Eyes and Ears in the demon world on the alert in case they hear something." Kal nodded before clearing his throat. "So, I went drinking with Spike in Madrid last night. He seems quite _chipper_ compared to how he used to be." Those light eyes slid sideways towards the blonde. "He should have come to see you sooner, it would have avoided _so much_ if he'd just swallowed his pride and butched up sooner."

"Butched up?" Chloe blinked. "Spike doesn't need to gather courage to come and see me."

"Not _now_ he doesn't, he's already planning his next trip to, and I quote "See Mum and play with the Pup some more"," Kal corrected. "Before though? He never said it, but it was _obvious_ that he thought you only tolerated him and Dru because of Angelus and that now that he was out of the picture that neither of them were truly welcomed." He raised an eyebrow. "Now he's on the mend." Kal's lips twitched. "He's a damn _child_ who needs his Mummy's love to be happy."

"Spike is probably the most _human_ vampire I know," Chloe admitted softly. "Even with his soul Angel's always very self-aware of his vampirism and how different that makes him-and he acts it. But not Spike. He basically a human with a bad attitude and fangs."

Kal snorted in amusement.

"But he's _my family_ , and I _love_ him." She couldn't keep her smile from growing. "I'm glad he realizes that."

"Little Cousin," Kal used one of his titles for her, betraying that what he would say next was said as her family. "When are you going to let go of the ring?"

She gulped, gaze going down to her finger, upon which the ring glistened in the sunlight. "It's just a ring."

"We both know it's not," Kal responded.

She cleared her throat, raising her hand to stare at the claddagh ring. "I'm scared."

"Of removing it?" The alien tilted his head in confusion when she nodded. "Why would something like that scare you?"

"It's this little irrational fear that I have-that when I finally take it off everything I had with Angel and Angelus will really be over," she admitted wryly, swallowing, gaze on the ring. "I know that even if he returned that things wouldn't ever be the way it was between us-he _left_ me when I needed him the most despite the fact that I was with _him_ through the good and the bad because I _knew_ he needed me. But _still_ , I've known Angel for so long. He-he's always been such an important part of my life I feel as if I'll lose a piece of me when I fully let go."

"Since when has Chloe Sullivan ever been afraid of _anything_?" Kal asked softly, sounding so much like Clark sometimes that it surprised her. She wondered if he realized that while he was Kal, he was still very much Clark where it counted.

Chloe looked up into his eyes before looking back down at her ring and sighing, lowering her head.

Kal freed his arm from her hold and instead slung it around her shoulders, pulling her close to him as they continued walk

* * *

"So?" Buffy placed her hands on her hips the second the boys entered the house. "What's the damage? What are we dealing with?"

"A whole lotta nothing." Sam collapsed on the couch, undoing his neckpiece. "Nothing bad has happened in the Miller house since it was built."

Dean stalked to Giles' fridge, opening the door and staring in. "No graveyards, battlefields, tribal lands or any other kind of atrocity on or near the property."

"But that can't be right." The female frowned, confused. "You must have missed something."

"Slayer, I searched that house up and down." Dean pulled out one of the beers he'd been making it a habit of leaving at the Watcher's house. "No cold spots, sulfur scent, _nada_."

"And the family said everything was normal?" Buffy tried to make sense of this. "No weird activity?"

"Zip." Dean opened the can and took a long gulp.

"If there was a demon or poltergeist in there it isn't doing anything to make its presence known, hasn't since they moved in years ago, so I'm doubting that's what we're dealing with." Sam laid his hand over his eyes, resting hard against his seat. "Dean also used the infer-red thermal scanner, and there was nothing."

"So, what, you think Jim Miller killed himself and my dream was just some sort of freakish coincidence?"

"I dunno." Dean shrugged, joining his brother on the couch. "But what I _do_ know is that there's nothing supernatural about the house."

"Or land." Sam agreed.

"Or _neighborhood_." Dean continued before making a face. "Where are the women? And England?"

"Cordelia and Giles both had phone calls they went out to receive." Buffy collapsed on the seat opposite them. "Chloe must have left while I was out back talking to mom." She rubbed her temples. "What if this has nothing to do with the house?" She took in a deep breath, holding her head, as the migraine she'd felt coming on from before began to truly show itself. "Maybe it's just… god…" she held her hand to her forehead. "…maybe it's connected to Jim in some other way?"

"What's wrong with you?" Dean frowned at her.

Sam removed his hand from his eyes.

There was a spike so horrible Buffy slipped form the couch to kneel on the floor as she held her head, letting out a cry of pain.

"Buffy?" Sam reached her before Dean. "Hey," he crouched next to her and grabbed her before she collapsed on the ground. "Hey! What's going on?"

"Talk to us!" Dean was on her other side.

Buffy tried opening her eyes despite the pain, and when she did she didn't see the boys.

Instead she was in a seedy little apartment, watching Roger Miller entering a kitchen with groceries in his hands. He noticed the window of his apartment opened and put down his groceries before going to the window and closing it, locking it. When he returned to unpacking the lock moved by itself and the window slid open again. He turned, eyeing the window, obviously confused as he attempt dot close it once more, but it stuck.

Roger leaned out, twisting to look up at the top of the window, when suddenly the window slid closed, decapitating him, blood gushing up over the window and onto Buffy's face.

" _Slayer_!" Dean's shaking her yanked her out of her vision.

Buffy wiped her hands over her face, almost surprised to find nothing there, before her gaze went to the brothers. "It's happening again. Something's going to kill Jim's brother."

Sam stood and hurried to grab his phone.

"What are you doing?" Dean looked up at him in confusion.

"I'm going to find Roger Miller's address."

* * *

"Why should I believe you?" Cordelia wanted to know, arms folded over her chest as she sat with her back to the door, eyeing the man who'd driven her to a more remote place so they could talk. "You've been nothing but an asshole to me in the past."

John Winchester shook his head. "I've already failed one son, I can't fail the other as well. Not like this."

She narrowed her eyes. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't," he replied. "You're just going to have to trust whatever you're instincts tell you." He stared her deep into her eyes. "But know this. If you don't do it, both you and Dean will be in danger."

"Wait, what?" Cordelia gasped, eyes widening. "Why is _Dean_ in danger? You nor Sam were ever hurt! It was only the girls you were with who got the crap end of the stick!"

"There's a big difference between our situations and Dean's," John replied evenly.

"What could _possibly_ be different about them?" Cordelia challenged.

John took in a deep breath before answering. "He's in love with you." The hunter cleared his throat. "Sam and I might have cared for our lovers, but we never loved them, that was why _we_ were never in danger."

Cordelia's eyes widened as she leaned heavily against the door.

She wasn't the only one in danger anymore.

This changed everything.

* * *

When they reached Roger Miller's apartment he was approaching the entrance with a bag of groceries. It shocked Buffy to see him in the flesh, just like he'd been in her vision, but she didn't hesitate, rolling down her window.

"Hey! Roger!"

He turned and grinned lecherously when he saw her, before he noticed Sam and Dean and frowned. "What are you guys? Missionaries? Leave me alone!"

"Listen Roger-." Dean tried.

But Roger had already pulled out his keys and unlocked the door, slamming it shut behind him.

Dean gunned the engine, jumping the curb as he hurriedly parked.

Before the car came to a complete stop Buffy was out and running. "Roger! You need to listen to us! We're trying to help!"

"Come on man!" Sam was out as well as they heard the sound of two deadbolts being locked on the door, barring their entrance.

"I don't want your help." Roger yelled at them threw the door before the sound of him walking away could be heard.

"We're not priests!" Dean finally reached them. "You've gotta listen to us!"

"You're in _danger_!" Buffy tried kicking the door, but there were too many deadbolts, and the doorframe was secure as well.

Dean looked around. "Come on." He raced around the corner to a back entrance, the others reaching there seconds after him, finding it securely locked. "Slayer?"

Buffy quickly looked around before kicking it in.

The trip jumped to the first level of the fire escape then ran up the stairs, Buffy in the lead, her Slayer speed giving her an edge, but it still wasn't enough. They were one floor from Roger's house when they heard the window slide down and a wet squelching noise betrayed that they were already too late.

Buffy froze in horror, unable to believe she had been so close, and yet so late.

Dean sprinted passed her and grabbed the railing, gazing below at Roger's head as it lay int he flower bed under the window, his blood all over the kitchen window.

Just as Buffy had seen in her vision.

Sam joined him, and after a long pause yanked out a cloth from his pocket, before beginning to wipe down the railing. "We need to get rid of our fingerprints. The cops can't know that we were here."

Dean used his shirt to push up the window leading out to the fire escape. "I'm gonna take a look inside."

Buffy didn't answer, just staring at Roger Miller's head.

Why was this happening?

And why was she seeing it happening?

Especially if she had no way of being able to stop it from happening?

How did this family's deaths connect with everything?

Finally Dean returned. "We have to go. Now."

The three made their way down the fire escape, making sure not to touch anything, and hurried to the car.

They'd been driving for a couple of minutes in silence before someone finally spoke.

"There was nothing in the place." Dean turned a right. "No signs either, just like the Miller's house."

"I saw something, in the vision. Like a dark shape." Buffy leaned forwards between the two front seats. "Something was…something was stalking him."

"Whatever it was, it wasn't connected to Jim's nor Roger's houses." Sam narrowed his eyes. "It has to be something connected to the family themselves."

"Like what?" Buffy sent them a look. "Like a vengeful spirit?"

"Well, yeah." Sam nodded. "There's a few that have been known to latch onto families and follow them for years. Angiak. Banshees…"

"Basically it's like a family curse." Dean suddenly narrowed his eyes. "A family curse."

"Roger and Jim Miller might have gotten involved in something heavy, something curse worthy." Sam turned to Dean. "And now the something is out for revenge…and the men in their family are dying."

"So are we thinking the son might be in danger?" Buffy wanted to know.

"We should figure it out before he does." Sam responded.

"What I still don't get is why I'm seeing all of this before it happens." Buffy frowned, leaning back in the seat once more. "With what happened in Smallville it made sense-it was connected to Chloe and her Hellmouth energy. But this? This has nothing to do with me or anyone I know! So why am I getting all the gory sneak peaks?"

"Maybe it's connected to _us_ and _our_ family curse," Dean murmured darkly. "If it's what we think it is, it's a patriarchal curse, just like ours. Maybe it's the same curse."

"Mrs. Miller would be the one dying, not the men." Sam pointed out.

"Maybe there's a reason why it's different in their family." Dean was obviously drawing at straws. "Or maybe-or maybe whoever cast the curse on them did it on us as well."

Now that…could actually be plausible.

Realizing that…Dean pressed down harder on the gas.

* * *

Kal had received a call from Lucy that'd had the alien having to super speed away, leaving Chloe to walk alone. She really wasn't looking where she was going, gaze on her ring as she grew lost in thought. Both Spike and Kal, who knew her with Angelus, had seen through the stories she'd concocted for her own benefit. They could see the fear, the weakness inside of her, and neither vampire nor alien were afraid to point it out, to throw her bullshit back in her face. She realized she was hiding behind this ring and what it symbolized, despite knowing that even if for some reason Angel came back and wanted to get back together things wouldn't be the same as when he'd given her this ring.

Neither of them were the same people they'd been on her sixteenth birthday.

The Angel from her sixteenth birthday…he wouldn't have walked out on her when she needed him the most.

Would he?

She knew that he might think that he was doing the best thing for her by leaving, but truly he was running away from what had happened-running from what his Soulless version had done. He been ashamed, unable to look her in the face, and so he'd _ran_. He'd left her even though she'd begged him to stay.

So why was she still wearing his ring?

Any sane, self-respecting girl who'd gone through what _she_ had would have ditched the ring-would have thrown it at Angel's back as he left.

And yet all she'd done was change the finger it was on…as if that was some grand accomplishment on her part.

"Oh, I know that look," a female voice sighed. "You're thinking about a guy."

Chloe turned towards the voice, surprised to see a vaguely familiar woman pruning flowers in her house garden, on the other side of a fence.

"I just lost my husband," the woman continued softly. "I recognize the look in your eyes. Did yours die…or leave?"

Chloe wondered why this house and woman seemed vaguely familiar, not even sure where she was considering she'd been walking aimlessly for a _while_ now. "He left."

"Mine left willingly too…but it was more permanent." She inhaled shakily, her eyes full of tears. "Would you like some tea?" The woman ran her hand over her head. "I think we both could do with a good chat with someone who can understand the pain."

Something about this whole thing seemed odd to Chloe, but she was in a daze, and really wanted to know why this woman and place looked familiar, so her curiosity won out as she accepted the offer and followed the woman into her house.

* * *

"What have you decided?" John asked, expectant.

"What?" Cordelia's eyes widened. "You don't expect me to make a decision _right now_?!"

"Of course I do." He grumbled. "I do not like wasting time."

"If you didn't then you wouldn't have taken so long telling everyone this." She pointed out, not about to be bullied by him. "So since you decided to wait twenty something _years_ to finally tell someone, you can wait a couple of days for me to take it in and decide!"

The hunter let out an aggravated sigh, running his hand over his face, before turning his browns on her. "You mightn't _have_ a couple of days."

* * *

Chloe looked up from the cup of tea she was enjoying when the backdoor opened and a young blonde man entered the house, agitated, stopping short when he saw her.

She gave him a little wave, awkward in the silence. "Hello."

"Who are you?" He narrowed his eyes in confusion. "The only people who've been coming over to mourn are people from St. Augustine's or family…and you're neither."

The blonde blinked, recognition entering her eyes at the mention of St. Augustines, finally figuring out why these people and this house seemed vaguely familiar to you. "I was walking by and your mother invited me in for tea."

He raised an eyebrow. "She invited you?"

"Yep." She nodded, clearing her throat. "Said we had the same look of loss in our eyes."

Max snorted as he shook his head. "Did she now?"

Chloe nodded, eyeing him in confusion. "I'm sorry, about your dad. I know you've been hearing a lot about that from people lately so it probably doesn't mean much, but I _am_ sorry."

"Ever lost a parent?" He asked curiously, sending her a sideways look.

"Yes…" she hesitated, mind going to Moira, the woman who had not only resented her birth, but had tried killing her via meteor shower exposure when she'd been nothing but a kid. "But I didn't really mourn it."

His gaze turned to her in shock.

She just drank another sip of tea, the awkwardness returning.

"What's your name?" He asked, some of the wariness seeping out of him as he came towards the table and sat down on the seat his mother had just vacated moments earlier.

"Chloe." She smiled, reaching out her hand. "Chloe Sullivan."

"Max Miller." He placed his hand in hers.

The second their hands touched, Chloe dropped the cup, which fell to the ground and shattered. Thunder and lightning clashed outside as both took in ragged breaths, Chloe feeling something horribly similar to what she had when Andrew Webber had tapped in forcefully into her core. Except Max wasn't doing anything purposely, the shock and confusion in his darkening eyes as his powers called out to her source, desperate to join and merge, betrayed the fact that he was just as surprised as she was at what was happening.

Chloe fought desperately to keep everything sealed, to keep even an ounce of Hellmouth energy from seeping out of her pores, remembering all too well how Webber's body and been unable to handle it, disintegrating before her very eyes.

Finally she managed to yank her hand from Max, the lighting and thunder disappearing in the wind as both young adults coughed, leaning hard on the table.

"What… _happened?"_ Max groaned, his words pained.

Chloe didn't answer, whimpering as her nails dug into the side of the table, agonizing, white searing pain seeming to want to rip through her chest at her fighting the connection.

"Just let go, darling," Alice's voice said from the doorway behind her. "It'll be less painful if you just let go. This is natural."

Chloe turned towards the woman and tried to speak but she doubled over in pain, biting down on her lips to try and minimize the cries.

"What's going on, Alice?" Max snapped, standing up. "Who the _hell_ is she and what just happened?"

"Oh baby," Alice whispered, coming towards him and running her hand down the side of his face. "I _told_ you that you were special, that you were meant to do _great_ things. And I _meant_ them." She stared into his eyes. "You had to endure _years_ of abuse from your drunk dad and his asshole brother, so you could be _strong enough_. It made you _ready_."

He reached up and placed his hand on hers, leaning into her touch.

There was something _very_ incestuous in their touches and gazes.

"We have to leave now." The woman whispered to Max. "The other will soon sense her distress, if he hasn't already. We need to be gone. You're not ready yet."

"I don't understand," Max whispered back, staring into her face. "You said that if I killed dad and Uncle Roger that we'd be safe, we'd be able to stay here, and be together finally."

She leaned forwards and kissed him deeply before pulling away. "We'll be together somewhere else. But you have to trust me, Max. We have to go _now_. I packed what needed. But we have to go _now_."

He stared into her eyes before nodding, outstretching his hand, a suitcase Chloe hadn't even realized was behind her rolling towards him.

Chloe's eyes widened.

Psychokinesis…

Max was _psychokinetic_!

It was how he'd killed his father…and apparently his uncle.

Alice turned to her. "Ever since I heard of your birth I have wanted to meet you."

Chloe tried to speak, but every time she opened her mouth the pain would increase.

"I really wish you would just stop fighting the connection with my step son," Alice commented softly. "But we'll just have to pick this up later." And then whispering a couple of words in latin, they disappeared.

Seconds later the sound of a car screeching to a stop outside could be heard, and then the door was kicked open, revealing Buffy, Sam and Dean.

She tried to ask for help but couldn't get the words out, finally letting go of the table to grab her head as the pain spiked like beat inside of her.

Suddenly warmth enclosed her, and she vaguely realized through the pain that Sam had draped himself over her in a hug, his body wrapping around hers from behind.

She felt his attempt to connect, and unlike with Max, she let him.

Immediately the pain diminished, each breath bringing with it cool relief until all that was left was a sense of fatigue.

Dean and Buffy searched the house.

Chloe reached up and clasped her hands over the ones Sam had around her, his presence like an anchor, helping her return from the painful fog that'd been her mind.

"Buffy said she saw Max connecting you to, like Webber had," Sam whispered in her ear. "You managed to keep the Hellmouth energy from escaping this time."

"He wasn't doing it on purpose." She tightened her grip on him. "He was just as surprised and confused as I was."

"Buffy says he killed his father and uncle."

"Did she see the part where he and his stepmother are definitely doing the naked tango?" Chloe coughed.

Sam froze. "Seriously?"

"I'm thinking she's a witch." Chloe took in a deep breath, her heart slowing down to a more acceptable pace. "And she's the one who told him to do it. To kill them." She closed her eyes. "She said she's been wanting to meet me since my birth…maybe she knew my mother. Mom was a witch too."

Sam's grip tightened on her protectively.

"They're definitely gone," Buffy grumbled as she returned, sitting down on the seat Max had vacated, worried gaze on Chloe. "Are you okay?"

Chloe nodded.

"Is it safe to be near her?" Dean asked. "No Hellmouth poisoning?"

"She's fine," Sam assured him. "She managed to contain it, and I neutralized it before it could emerge." He made a face. "Not too sure how I did that, but..."

Dean knelt down next to Chloe, placing his hand on her knee as he stared up into her face. "What the _hell_ are you doing here anyway?"

"I was invited in." And she felt so _stupid_ now, lowering her head. "I didn't realize that this was the family Buffy had the vision of until I was inside."

"Didn't your parents ever teach you not to talk to strangers?" Dean wanted to know, annoyed, yet she could see the worry behind it. "That's Parenting 101."

"Sorry." She lowered her gaze, embarrassed.

"It's fine." Sam finally let go of her, standing, turning to lean against the table as he stared at the roof. "The hell is happening?"

"I don't know," Chloe confessed. "But that's _twice_ now that someone has been able to hack my security codes. And this one wasn't even _trying_."

The three newcomers shared worried looks, while Chloe rested her head against the table, body aching.

* * *

" _What_ happened?" Cordelia asked in shock, turning away from John as she listened into the phone as Dean explained what had happened during her absence. "What's it with these murdering freaks trying to mind rape her like this all the time?" She listened to his answer and snorted. "I know he must be." Turning her gaze towards where John eyed her curiously, Cordelia made a face. "I'm having a coffee right now. I'll finish it up and meet you back at Giles'." She smiled softly. "Love you too." Hanging up, Cordelia turned to John. "Give me a day or two."

"You mightn't have-."

"Give them to me anyway," she ordered.

Sighing, the hunter nodded. " _Fine_."

Her gaze slid out the window, expression blank. "Now take me back."

* * *

In her room in Sam's place, Chloe sat on the bed staring at her ring.

She knew that Giles, Buffy, Dean and Cordelia were all having a little session at Giles' to try and figure out what was going on collectively, and that she should be there as well considering it affected her, and yet the blonde wouldn't move from the bed.

Her mind went over everything that had happened since she'd moved to Sunnydale with her father.

Flashes raced in front of her eyes of The Harvest, of meeting Angel, of Fork Guy, Sam's Hyena possession, Darla's attack... the Master draining her dry and thus giving himself enough power to open the Hellmouth and start the apocalypse. They went to her first kiss with Angel, to their training sessions, to her leaving to go to Smallville and the few amount of vampires there. She saw flashes of saving Lana's life, of Clark and her coming clean to each other, and then to returning to Sunnydale in time to stop the Master from being resurrected. Flashes followed of Spike and Dru were next, along with her secret magic sessions together with Sam, and then those with Jenny. And then the attack on the school where her father found out…was followed by her birthday and the ring.

The ring she couldn't stop looking away from.

Chloe remembered Angelus…and Sam in chains watching as the vampire took her over and over.

The blonde could still taste her initial mortification, knowing that Sam was seeing her like that…mortification which later turned to arousal and surprised her with the realization that she had a voyeour kink.

Living that life had twisted her.

She'd wanted to make sure it didn't twist Sam…had set him free…and shared her first kiss with him.

Chloe's hand went to her lips.

Flashes followed of her life in Europe with the vampires…with Kal and Lucy once they'd showed up on the scene…

…and then Angelus got his soul back and the scene changed.

It changed to Angel walking out despite her pleas and begs and threats.

He'd walked out on her when she'd needed him the most despite that she'd stayed with him in _hell_ because she knew he needed _her_.

Chloe closed her eyes and lowered her head as silent tears trickled down her cheeks.

How much had happened since he left?

She'd needed Angel _so many times_ …and yet he'd never been there for her.

 _Sam_ had.

If it hadn't been for Sam…

…Chloe opened her eyes, the last memory flashing in front of her.

It was of last night, in this very room.

Gulping, Chloe's gaze returned to her ring as she slowly slid it off of her finger.

Standing the blonde went to the window and opened it, staring out at the night around her.

Her gaze went to her finger, to the lighter patch of skin that betrayed how long she'd been wearing the ring, before her gaze went to the ring clutched in her other hand.

Taking in a deep breath, Chloe tossed the ring outside of the window as hard as she could before turing and closing the window back up, yanking the curtains closed so she wouldn't even see where it fell.

Going back to the bed, Chloe collapsed on it and stared ahead of her in silence.

* * *

"She's still in the room." Sam spoke into the phone, staring at Chloe's door as he spoke to a concerned Buffy. "Maybe you _should_ come over and spend the night. I think she needs someone with her right now."

"As soon as Cordelia gets back I'll leave to come." Buffy agreed. "How are _you_ holding up?"

"Me?" Sam chuckled darkly.

"Yes, _you_." The Slayer sighed. "You're the one who helped calm her, who stopped whatever was happening."

"I really didn't do much except connect with her." Sam replied. "They rest was accomplished on its own naturally."

"Instinctively." Buffy whispered the word before clearing her throat. "What's going on, Sam?"

"I have no idea." He sighed.

"I'm having visions of people who can connect with Chloe against her will, and you're sensing when those situations happen." The Slayer cleared her throat. "Hellhounds are running the earth, Chloe's having nightmares she can't remember, and Giles got a call from the Watcher in Sunnydale earlier who told him _Azazel_ was there preparing for something he said was going to happen very soon."

Sam sat up straighter at the last bit of news. "What?"

"Sometimes going down, Sam. And I have a bad feeling Chloe's smack-dab in the middle of it."

"Whatever it is, we'll get through, like we always have," Sam responded, refusing to believe otherwise.

The door to the room opened and Chloe slipped out, pulling on the strap of her messenger bag. "Sorry for the wait, I needed to freshen up before we head out to Giles'. We should get coffee on the way, I'm sure everyone's going to need it."

"Are you sure?" Sam asked, surprised, having expected she'd want to stay in.

"Yeah, I'm _sure_ they'll need it." Chloe flashed him a smile before clapping. "Come on, let's get going!"

"You hear that?" Sam asked Buffy.

"Yeah." Buffy answered. "Don't forget my Cuppa Joe." And with that she hung up.

Chloe walked passed him, putting her hair up in a pony tail as she headed towards the door. "Let's go handsome. We have some apocalyptic crap we need to figure out."

"Okay." Sam nodded, smiling as he got up and grabbed his keys before reaching for where his jacket was. "Buffy warned me about going there without coffee."

"I know my Slayer." Chloe grinned brightly, reaching for the door and opening it. "We should also get some snacks for the All-Nighter this will no doubt turn into." Her greens turned to him. "My treat."

"You're…chipper…tonight." Sam blinked, surprised yet pleased as he joined her at the door, locking it behind him.

Standing under the front porch light made Chloe's hair almost seem to glow as she grinned up at him as she slipped a strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. "I realize I have a lot to be grateful for."

Sam didn't hear, staring down at her hand…her ringless hand.

"Sam?" Chloe asked in confusion. "Is something wrong?"

Sam's gaze widened slightly as he raised his orbs to meet hers. "No. _Nothing's_ wrong."

"You sure about that?" Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You look shocked."

"I, uh, your ring." He cleared his throat, slipping on his leather jacket to give him something to do. "You're not wearing it any more."

"Oh." Chloe's gaze went to her hand before she nodded and returned her gaze to him. "It was time to let go."

Sam could feel his heart racing at the possibilities those six little words afforded him.

He needed to end the damned curse.

 _Immediately_.

Sensing movement, Sam's gaze rose over Chloe's head easily given their height difference and he froze, seeing a horribly familiar figure standing down the street under a light post, watching them.

His horror must have shown on his face before Chloe turned around. "What is-?"

Sam tore his gaze from that shadowed figure to look down at Chloe in time to see her turn pale as her eyes widened.

" _Angel_?"

* * *

 **TBC**


	7. Wish

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Based on Buffy Season 3 "The Wish" and Supernatural Season 4 "Wishful Thinking"

* * *

" _Angel_?" Chloe whispered, turning fully, unable to believe it.

And yet the figure bathed under the street lamp at the far end of the street was definitely the vampire who'd been haunting her mind since his departure.

There was clear hesitation in that stance before the vampire began making his way towards them in the shadows.

Sam was silent behind her, tense.

Chloe's mind was in a whirl of confusion and chaos, a battlefield of conflicting emotions as she watched Angel until he was just outside the light of the porch she stood under.

Sam moved to leave.

Terror filled her at what she might do if alone, and Chloe reached out, grabbing his hand and holding it tightly, stopping his movement.

Both men's gazes went to those joined hands.

Angel's slid away before clearing his throat. "How are you?"

"What do you care?" She whispered, knowing it was spiteful and childish, and yet unable to stop it.

He winced, pain passing over his gaze before returning to her. "I deserve that."

"Damn straight you do." She couldn't understand what he was doing here.

"Can we talk?" He asked softly, gaze pleading.

"Not tonight." And yet she wasn't sending him away like she should. "We're busy."

" _Date night_?" Angel chuckled darkly, voice far from amused.

"Not that it's any of your business, but our lives haven't been sunshine and rainbows since you left. I've been forcefully tapped into," she snapped, annoyed with his attitude. " _Twice_."

" _What_?" Angel's gaze swung to her, narrowed. "Are you okay?"

"What do you care?" She repeated the question from before. "Sam and I need to be somewhere. Where are you staying?"

He cleared is throat. "There's an abandoned factory on Fort Street—."

"Wimebly's?" Seeing him nod, Chloe swallowed. "Good. Don't come back here. If I'm ever ready to talk to you, I'll go there." Turning to Sam she motioned towards the car. "Let's go. It's going to be a long night and everyone's going to want those coffees."

Sam nodded, sending a look over at Angel before walking towards his car, hand still clasped around Chloe's.

She entered the car and leaned hard against the seat, refusing to look at Angel, whose gaze she could feel hard on her.

No, the blonde ignored the vampire watching as Sam backed out into the road and drove away.

Silence reigned in the car until finally the witch sighed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm angry," she whispered truthfully, gaze going out of the side window. "I'm _so_ angry and hurt I wanted to…"

He sighed, reaching out and placing his hand on her thigh.

Closing her eyes as a silent tear made its way down her cheek, Chloe rested her hand over his, their fingers threading together.

The rest of the drive was made in utter silence.

* * *

"He's _back_?" Cordelia gasped in horror as Chloe sat on Buffy's bed, the three girls who made up the Scooby Gang hung in there as the blonde told them of her encounter with her vampiric ex lover. " _Why_ is he back?"

Chloe shrugged, staring ahead of her, obviously still digesting the news herself. "I don't know…he just said he needed to talk to me."

"You told him where to stick his conversation, right?" Cordelia pressed.

"I told him I was busy and not to come back to Sam's." Chloe sighed. "I said I'd go see him if I ever was ready."

" _Chlo-eee_!" Cordelia groaned. "You should have told him to go back to whatever little cockroach infested place he's just crawled out of! Do you _want_ to be that weak girl that keeps going back to the guy who keeps hurting you?"

Chloe's head hung low.

"Cordelia, that's enough." Buffy interjected, going to kneel in front of Chloe, staring up into her agonized face. "How are you holding up?"

Chloe's lips trembled as she closed her eyes, tears trickling down her cheeks.

Empathy filled the Slayer as she embraced the crying girl, holding her tightly as Chloe hugged her and cried into her shirt. "I'm so sorry Chlo. I know this must be _so hard_ on you. You've been so strong."

"Why is he back?" Chloe whispered, holding onto Buffy as if to life. "He left! He told me to go on with my life! Told me to move on!" She choked out a sob. " _So why is he back_?"

"He _obviously_ expects you to take him back." Cordelia pointed out, so annoyed it was ridiculous. "He's always been selfish with you. He leaves you high and dry when you need him the most, and now that things are starting to finally be how they should have always been, he comes back to mess things up again!"

Buffy rubbed Chloe's back. "What do you plan on doing?"

"I don't know." She whispered back. "I just don't know."

* * *

"I can't believe he's back." Giles sat down on his favorite chair, looking up at Sam and Dean in shock. "I thought he'd told her he wouldn't return?"

"He never said those words exactly." Sam leaned hard against the wall. "But it was obviously implied in their last exchange."

"So what does this mean exactly?" Dean asked from where he was chewing on some chips thoughtfully. "I know this really isn't _our_ business, but at the same time it _is_. He used to be a part of our group. Sure, he lost his Soul and became a major douche bag, but that was because of _Spike_ …who was here not so long ago and was treated quite nicely in my opinion." He plopped a chip into his mouth, chewed and swallowed before continuing. "So, if Angel plans on staying around these parts, how are _we_ supposed to react? Do we let him back into the group? Do we punish him for what Angelus did?"

"You seem to be of the mind to let him back into the group." Giles commented, intrigued.

"Don't get me wrong, Soul or not I'm still a bit pissed at him for kidnapping my baby brother and keeping him as a _pet_ for months on end…" Dean cleared his throat. "But Sam's said so himself, he was treated _very_ good by them, especially considering who and what they were. Also, Angel was my friend back in the day, and that means something to me. Plus, I can be somewhat of a dick at times and I'd want to be given a second chance if I fucked up majorly as well…especially if it really wasn't _me_ who was in control."

Sam sighed, gaze going to the ceiling. "You have a point."

Giles nodded in agreement. "It would be a bit awkward though, if things do not return to how they were between him and Chloe."

"Their issue, not ours." Dean pointed out all maturely. "In the end, this is between Chloe and Angel. All we can do is watch and see what happens."

"Stop being so mature." Sam grumbled, staring up at the ceiling. "It's freaking me out."

Chuckling, Dean winked as he plopped another chip into his mouth.

* * *

"Don't let a human drive you out of your own bloody chateau," Spike snickered, chugging back a bottle of scotch as he and the alien commiserated on their woes in his new place. "If push comes to shove, I could always bleed her dry for you. Make it look like some other bloke did it so your bird doesn't suspect our involvement."

Kal took a long gulp of whisky before answering. "Tempting…but I've already been warned that if the girl so much as gets a _scratch_ on her I'll be held responsible."

"Ah, Luce…she's by far smarter than you." Spike chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "And eviler too-so she knows what to expect before you'd even think about it."

Not insulted, Kal snorted in amusement. "She's quite the woman, my Lucy."

"Hear hear. A fine woman, just like her cousin." Spike raised his bottle to that.

Kal knocked his own bottle against it in a cheers before taking another gulp. "I saw her today by the way, Chloe I mean."

"Oh?" Spike grinned, looking up. "How's my favorite Nibblet doing?"

"Fine, we just talked for a while as we walked." Kal made a face as he leaned forwards. "I must admit that one of the things I'd missed from Clark's existence was their friendship. She's remarkably…relaxing."

Spike had a lecherous little smile on his face yet thankfully didn't comment.

"So, how are things with Drusilla going?" The alien tilted his head to the side. "She pledging her undying love for you yet?"

"Got to find her first," Spike replied with a shrug.

"You mean you haven't found her yet?" The alien blinked. "But you've been so… _normal_ lately. I figured you had her chained up somewhere."

"Nah." Spike shook his head. "After leaving Cali I just felt more…relaxed. Not so desperate anymore for some reason."

Kal eyed the vampire, wondering if he realized it was because he'd confirmed his position in Chloe's life, and that he was still very much a part of her family and thus not alone anymore.

No matter how tough the vampire liked to act, the alien knew his desire for family and the feeling that he belonged somewhere, that he was wanted and accepted.

Spike was incredibly human, and like Chloe, had horrible abandonment issues.

It was probably one of the reasons why they'd connected with each other the way they had.

Kal opened his mouth to comment when his cellular rung and he winced when he saw the Caller ID. "Gotta go."

Spike just lifted his bottle. "Remember, there are ways to make it look like an accident!"

With a chuckle, Kal shook his head and then was gone in a flash.

* * *

Waking up was a mixture of pain and confusion, Sam groaned as his eyes flickered open to reveal the reason _why_ he was in such pain. Sometime during the long night of going through old, obscure, and disturbing tomes trying to figure out what in the world was going on-while also working on trying to understand the Winchester curse by trying to find another similar-Sam had managed to fall asleep in a _very_ uncomfortable position. Everyone else had as well, except for Cordelia, who had somehow managed to secure the whole sofa for herself at some point or the other. No one else was as lucky as she'd been in sleeping arrangements. Giles slept half on top of the coffee table, Dean was half falling off of the chair he was on, and Buffy was curled in the love seat. Sam himself had ended up sleeping sitting up, leaning against the side of the sofa. Next to him, lying on the ground, Chloe whimpered at something in her sleep and turned towards him as she settled back into whatever dream she was in the middle of.

Sam reached out, brushing her hair out of her face softly.

In her sleep, Chloe smiled.

Clearing his throat, Sam slowly stood, the muscles in his body screaming out against him for having slept the way he had, his neck sore.

Grabbing his wallet, knowing that everyone else was going to feel just as hellish as he did, the brunet slipped out of the house as he went towards his car and started the engine. Giles had commented on a new little restaurant that had opened recently a couple of blocks down that served a great breakfast menu, and the young man knew that everyone was going to need it by the time they got up.

He drove until he saw the Lucky Chin's sign Buffy had mentioned and parked outside the small yet cozy looking place. With a name like that he had expected it to serve asian cuisine, but once inside he realized that everything was very much Americanized, especially the menu. The place might have just opened, but it was packed with people, and after giving his order he went to stand in the corner and wait, watching the people in the booths and standing around waiting to pick up their orders.

In the middle of the room was a fountain with the words "Lucky Chin's Well of Good Fortune".

Sam wanted to point out that it wasn't a "Well", but that was just nitpicking he supposed.

A girl entered the shop, walked straight towards the fountain, and closed her eyes, her lips moving in what almost seemed like a prayer as she pulled out a coin from her pocket. Her eyes finally opened and taking in a deep breath, she tossed the coin into the fountain. A small smile tilted her lips before she turned and left the store, excited.

Sam raised an eyebrow.

"They've been saying that if you make a wish and toss a coin into the Well, that it comes true." The guy bringing him his order declared, passing him his plastic bags. "I personally don't believe in that sort of hocus pocus, but from what I've seen people at least _think_ it works."

"Do they?" Sam snorted, hand going to his pocket, where his change weighed heavy.

"To be truthful, I get tempted myself to give it a try, but I feel a little silly." The guy chuckled before turning and walking, muttering to himself as he went. "I guess there's nothing I'd want strong enough to risk looking silly for."

Sam turned to leave, making it to the door before growling to himself and turning right back. "I can't believe I'm doing this." Going towards the fountain, the young witch pulled out a coin from his pocket and stared at the water, feeling like a complete _idiot_ for even trying this…but what could it hurt?

Dancing a coin over his knuckles, Sam stared at it, concentrating on his wish, before flicking the coin into the fountain.

As the coin slowly descended to the bottom of the fountain, Sam turned and headed back towards the door, shaking his head in self-ridicule.

He never felt the wave of magic that rippled out from the fountain and changed everything.

* * *

Sam stepped out of the shop and realized he was no longer in the right neighborhood anymore. He stopped, looking around him in shock, rubbing his eyes in utter confusion. The tall brunet turned to go back into the shop and while the Chinese restaurant was still there it was not only closed, but there were chains on the front doors and the dirt on the windows proved that it had been abandoned for quite some time now. Not only that, but this abandoned Chinese store was now across from the Bronze.

Dear god.

The _Bronze_.

He was in Sunnydale!

Not only that…but _when_ had it become _night_?

Confusion grew in him as he dropped the bag of food and walked towards the Bronze, eyeing the two huge bouncers that stood on each side of the doorway.

They saw him and smirked, opening the door for him.

"She's been wondering where you've been," one of the bouncers warned him.

"Who?" Sam asked curiously, wondering why they were acting as if they knew him.

The bouncers shared looks and laughed.

Confusion over the roof now, Sam entered the Bronze, finding the lights strobes like crazy inside of the otherwise dark place, people dancing and having a great time. More than a couple of them turned and waved at him, some winked, others called his name. All as if they knew him and liked him, a lot. Things were getting curiouser and curiouser and he felt as if he were Alice, having fallen into the rabbit's hole and seeing Wonderland for the first time.

"Sammy!"

He turned at the familiar voice, eyes widening when he saw Dean coming towards him. " _Dean_!"

"Where have you been man?" Dean clapped him on the back, winking at a pretty redhead as he began to maneuver them through the crowd. "You're late. She's unhappy."

" _Who_?" Sam could only ask that again.

Dean seemed just as amused as the bouncers. "Are you gonna play amnesiac? Is that your ploy? Damn bro, you better have a better excuse than _that_!"

"What is going on?" Sam asked his brother, following him trustingly. "What are we doing in Sunnydale?"

"I know right?" Dean chuckled. "Even after we spiced things up it's still kind of lame here." He led Sam up the stairs to the balcony part above, but it wasn't filled with teenagers like it used to be. Now there were bouncers at the bottom, it was cordoned off unless they were given access (which they were) and upstairs had been transformed into some sort of a VIP room.

Sam stopped short once he reached the top step and his surprisingly sharp gaze took in the sights.

Chloe laid on her stomach on what looked almost like a bed and yet was obviously supposed to be a chair of some sort. She wore a long white dress that was form-fitting and betrayed the fact that she wore black underwear beneath.

Wow, just, _wow_.

Almost as if she could hear his thoughts, Chloe turned her head towards him. "You're late."

Dean chuckled, hands up as he backed away, heading back towards the stairs. "Good luck bro!"

Sam turned to watch Dean start descending the steps before returning his gaze back to Chloe. "I'm so confused it isn't even funny-but you look _great_ by the way. Thought I should mention that."

Her lips twitched slightly as she turned on her side to gaze at him better. "What has you confused?"

"Why are we in Sunnydale?" He came towards her, hesitating a second before sitting down on the edge of the-bed, he was going to call it a bed-eyeing her.

She pushed up to her knees. "You don't like it here anymore?"

"It's not so much _like_ , uh, but I'm _confused_." He gulped, eyes widening when she straddled his lap, playing with his shirt. "C- _Chloe_?"

"Yes Sam?" She smiled toothily before pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

He was stunned still, a heat wave jolting down his spine at the mere touch of her lips to his.

"I _am_ a little bored here…" Chloe began nibbling up his jaw, giving a little buck with her hips that had him biting his bottom lip to keep from hissing.

Sam nearly choked on his saliva, eyes wider than he thought possible, unable to understand what was happening and beginning to wonder whether he was actually asleep and had never actually left the house that morning. It would make the most sense. This had to be a dream. A _great_ dream.

"And here everyone was sure you'd be in _trouble_." A darkly amused voice announced to their right.

Sam turned his head, eyes wide to see two people he hadn't expected. "Spike? Drusilla?"

"He acts as if we hadn't arranged to have fun tonight." Spike rolled his eyes at Sam before turning to Dru, who was eyeing Sam curiously. "What is it my Dark Princess?"

Dru didn't answer, merely tilted her head as she eyed Sam inquisitively.

"He's confused apparently." Chloe slid off of Sam's lap and slinked over to where Spike and Dru were, pressing a kiss to both of their cheeks. "How is the Master doing tonight?"

"Quite well, thank you." Spike grinned brightly. "There's a bint down below I'm thinking on draining." At the look Chloe gave him he chuckled. "If she's in this club, she's asking for it luv." He turned a grin down on the dark haired beauty on his arm. "Plus, Dru and I need some _us_ time."

"Wait." Sam stood, utterly confused. " _Spike_ is the Master? But-what happened to the _last_ Master?"

Chloe turned towards Sam, smile melting from her face and worry replacing it as she drew nearer. "Baby?"

"Just how confused _are_ you, mate?" Spike even looked somewhat concerned as he stepped forwards to knock his knuckles softly on Sam's head. "You haven't gone amnesiac on us, have you?"

"The Hellhound seems more like a Puppy, whimpering not snarling." Dru pouted, reaching out to trail her fingers down the side of Sam's face. "There's magic around him."

"Someone's put a _spell_ on him?" Chloe snapped, turning to Dru.

Dru pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I can't see clearly, it's, vague."

"You really don't remember what happened to the last Master?" Chloe looked so worried, so confused.

Sam shook his head.

Chloe took in a deep breath, reaching for Sam's hand and bringing him back to the bed, sitting him down. "Do you at least remember the Harvest?"

"Yeah." He nodded, relieved to finally be on the right track. "We stopped it."

There was silence.

Chloe's features were betraying her worry more and more. "We didn't."

Sam went still. " _What_? Why didn't we?"

"Well, we didn't _know_ about it until it was over and the Master had arisen and begun the Apocalypse." Chloe spoke slowly, as if to a child. "It came out of nowhere and we weren't prepared for it. We failed _spectacularly_ against him."

 _What_?

That made no sense!

"The Master rose, was all dramatic and theatric from what I've been told-Dru and I were still in Vienna." Spike shrugged. "Killed the Watcher first, and as she mourned his death, the Master ripped the Slayer's head right off." He made a face. "That was a cheap shot if any. If it had been _me_ I would have wanted to fight her first when she was in her right mind so that it'd be more _fun_."

Chloe looked away at that.

Sam felt like he'd been punched. Giles and Buffy were dead?

"And of course, he sired your brother." Spike mumbled.

" _What_?" Sam stood, the blood rushing to his head, everything almost too hard to bare.

Chloe looked like she could slap Spike. "What part of 'he doesn't seem to remember anything' are you not getting?"

"You're really mouthy considering I'm the Master around this parts." Spike raised an eyebrow at her.

Chloe stood, glaring at Spike. "Do _not_ piss me off, Spike!"

And, incredibly enough, Spike _backed down_.

Sam was beginning to feel dizzy with confusion.

What the hell was going on?

"What about Cordelia and Angel?" He found himself asking, not having heard about their fate as yet.

" _Who_?" Chloe made a face.

Sam's eyes widened in horror as suddenly a doubt began to ring in his ears.

"Wait, wasn't there a Cordelia that used to go to school with us? A real _bitch_?" Chloe gave a little dark chuckle before turning her greens on Sam. "She died that night in the Harvest, someone told me she was the first one who was drained for the ritual. And I don't remember any Angel. Was she's one of the Cordettes?"

Chloe's words were echoing all around him, haunting the boy just like the blank expression on her face.

" _We_ were once under the wings of our Angel." Dru sighed sadly. "Until his wings turned from black to white."

"I doubt he's talking about our ponce of a Sire, princess." Spike declared, wrapping an arm around him. "They've never actually _met_ Angel, and it's a good thing too. I don't know how I'd be able to live down the _embarrassment_ of being related to him. I _have_ a reputation to uphold you know."

Sam's world stopped spinning in utter shock.

"To continue our little story, Dean was turned, and the Master planned on doing the same with us, but he when he tried to kill me-it killed _him_ due to the fact that my blood is deadly if it's taken without my consent." She smiled softly. "That totally destroyed his "Luke, I am your father" monologue before he got all fanged."

"He really had balls of steel though, claiming you as his child." Spike sneered.

Chloe chuckled softly, nodding. "Afterwards, with no Master in Sunnydale it broke out into all-out war as vampires came from everywhere to claim it as their territory."

"It was an easy win. The dunderheads I had to fight were the same crowd who liked to say they were at the crucifixion. Once one says that you know that they're full of shit." Spike snorted in derision.

Chloe reached out to cup Sam's face. "You _really_ don't remember any of that?"

Sam stared at her as he finally allowed himself to admit what was happening here. This wasn't a dream. He really _had_ gone out that morning and had made that wish. It had come true.

The young witch gulped as the pretty blonde stared at him in worry.

This was Sam's wish come true in living color.

This was a world in which Chloe had never met Angel.

* * *

"We didn't have to come back home." But even as he said that, Sam was amazed as he spun around slowly, trying to take in the large, beautiful house that was apparently the home he shared with Chloe Sullivan.

"Someone has put a spell on you to make you either amnesiac, _or_ recall the past differently." Chloe threw down her bag, eyes narrowed. "I wasn't about to stay out in the open like that." She went to the window and pulled the curtains aside, the moonlight bathing her. "An attack on you is an attack on me, it could have only been the White Hats." She made a face. "Spike has his best witches on the case, trying to figure out what is going on." She then twirled around and faced him. "Don't worry, Red will figure out what's happened to you, and when she does I'll reverse it."

Sam licked his lips. "Chloe, there's something I need to tell you." He then paused as something she said registered. "White Hats?"

Chloe sighed as she moved closer towards him. "The 'White Hats' are a group of radicals who _say_ they want the best for Sunnydale and the world, and for them that can only be achieved by controlling me. Some years ago they thought it was through my death, but they realized my death would destabilize the balance of the whole world and probably end everything so they decided that I was a piece on the chessboard of life that they needed to have in their possession and under their control." She placed her hands on Sam's chest, her greens staring up into his blue/greens in worry. "They're obviously trying to get to me through my conduit, trying to make me weak by making _you_ weak." Her hands rose to cup his face. "But they don't understand what we've had to go through together, what you've sacrificed-they don't understand the bond between us. You could never make me weak." Her smile was tender as she pressed up on her tip toes and brought his face down to meet her lips. "You're not just a conduit, you give me strength."

Sam's arms went around Chloe's body as he pulled her into him, opening his mouth to the kiss and molding her body against his, savoring her taste in his mouth. He didn't understand half of what she was telling him, White Hats and balances, and while it was important and should take precedence, he'd wanted this too much for too long. He couldn't keep his desire in check, kissing her deeply, desperately, backing her against the wall harshly and swallowing her wanton chuckle as she kissed him harder.

There was a knock on the door.

Sam groaned as he pulled away.

"Come in!" Chloe called over as she fixed her hair.

"Seriously, you two disgust me." A statuesque brunette rolled her eyes as she entered, lips curled in a teasing smile as she entered the place. "Shouldn't you be out of the honeymoon phase already?"

Chloe smirked as she shook her head. "Says the woman who keeps giving us sex toys for Christmas and our birthdays."

"Hey, I'm a good cousin, and cousin-in-law." The brunette turned to Sam. "I know for a _fact_ Sammy and you made good use of those handcuffs and edible panty/bra set I gave you. In fact, Sammy gave me a bottle of rum the next day with a note that merely said: 'Lois, you rock'. And I do. I rock."

Sam's eyes widened as he realized that this was the famous Lois Lane he'd heard so much about, Chloe's older cousin. What was she doing here in Sunnydale?

Chloe opened her mouth.

The brunette raised a finger. "Bette's _fine_."

Instant relief filled Chloe's face. "When I found out what happened to Sammy—and when she wouldn't answer her number—I started to fear—."

"She's fine and heading back here immediately," Lois assured her before glancing at Sam. "So, the Master said that Sammy-Boy's been Abracadabra'd?" The brunette made a face as she came closer to Sam, pursing her lips as she circled him. "Something about his memories?"

Chloe nodded. "How he remembers it, the Harvest was stopped."

Lois snorted. " _Someone_ was gravely misinformed."

The door opened and Dean entered the house. "So! Were they at it when you arrived or _what_?"

"We totally called it." Lois smirked. "Slap my hand, dead soul man."

Dean smirked and gave Lois a high-five before turning to his brother, folding his arms over his chest. "How's the melon, bro?"

"Fine?" Sam cleared his throat, still not sure how he was supposed to act around his undead brother.

"Where were you?" Chloe raised an eyebrow at Dean.

"I was out looking for info, and I lost my appetite thanks to it. I mean, the girl wouldn't stop looking at me. I mean, I'm trying to eat, and she _looks_ at me." Dean shook his head. "Thing is, no one seems to have any idea why Sam's like this."

Sam took in a deep breath. "I do."

Everyone turned towards him.

Lois smacked him on the forehead. "Say something sooner, Sasquatch!" She folded her arms over her chest. "Go on then, spit it out. Who did the whammy on you and what exactly was it?"

Sam stared between everyone before he finally turned his gaze on Chloe. "This is my wish."

Her eyes narrowed. "You wished to not remember?"

"No." He shook his head. "I wished that you had never met Angel."

She blinked in confusion. "Who is Angel?"

" _Exactly_!" He threw his hands in the air and took in a deep breath. "Angel is Spike and Dru's sire, or, well, Dru's sire and Spike's grandsire-the technicalities aren't important. What's important is that I wished that you hadn't met him, and-you didn't. And this reality happened."

The group looked between themselves in silence.

Dean cleared his throat. "Whoever put that whammy did a number on him."

"Seriously." Lois blinked. "I mean, for one, they have him thinking 'Angel' is a _dude's_ name."

Chloe, who had heard Spike mention Angel previously, turned her gaze to Sam. "Why wouldn't you want me to meet this Angel person?"

Sam took in a deep breath. "You have a romantic past with him."

"I see." The blonde licked her lips as she went towards Sam and rested her hands on his chest, a small smile playing on her lips. "You're jealous. That's so cute."

Sam blushed as he glared down at her. "No it's not."

"Honey, baby, _bunny_ …" Chloe completely threw him with that last one as she placed her hand over his heart. "I've never met this Angel guy. I've never been in love with anyone but you. And whoever put this whammy on you is messing with your mind to have you emotionally unstable so your magic will be wonky." She pressed up on her tiptoes and removed her hand so she could press a kiss to his heart. "But don't worry, we'll figure out who did this and how to reverse it and everything will go back to how it was before."

Another knock sounded on the door.

Chloe sighed and pulled away. "You can come in, girls."

Sam raised an eyebrow at Chloe's knowledge of who was on the other side of the door.

It opened to reveal two girls, one a blonde and the other a brunette, both very pretty and filled with attitude as they entered the house, their eyes bleeding black as the door swung closed behind them.

Animus Demons.

"There's no White Hat activity in the vicinity around the house," the one with long blonde hair declared. "Meg also checked around the Bronze and found no recent activity."

"Ruby's right." The one with shoulder-length brown hair frowned. "Whatever they did to Sam, they didn't do it recently."

Lois folded her arms over her chest. "Are we sure it's the White Hats who are behind this then?"

"Who else?" Dean wanted to know.

"I'm telling you, I'm the one who did this." Sam stepped forwards.

No one paid attention.

"What do you want us to do?" Meg, her voice holding a hint of a southern twang, turned her black gaze to Chloe. "Tom's still not back."

Chloe eyed the two women before she took in a deep breath. "Tom's fine." She took in a deep breath. "Ruby, go see our little Grey Hat, maybe he knows what's on."

Ruby nodded before turning and leaving.

"Meg." Chloe turned her gaze on the other demon. "Grab yourself a White Hat."

Meg grinned. "Fun."

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Remember, I need the White Hat alive."

"I know, I know." The demon was still grinning as she turned to leave.

Dean turned towards Chloe. "I'll help."

Meg paused. "I don't need help, Vampire."

"I'm not going to help you." He rolled his eyes. "They did this to my brother. Plus, I want to have some fun too."

"Fine." Meg eyed him up and down. "But you better not try to eat our hostage."

"That only happened _once,_ " Dean snorted as he walked out with Meg.

Lois shook her head. "When are those two just going to jump each other and get it over with?"

"I ask myself that all the time." Chloe admitted. "That's her third host and _still_ the unresolved sexual tension is palpable between them so it _has_ to be something between _her_ and him and not just her physical appearance."

Sam shook his head. "No way. She nearly killed him. If it wasn't for you, he would be dead."

Chloe and Lois frowned as they turned their heads towards him.

"What are you _talking_ about?" Lois blinked.

Chloe looked just as lost.

Sam realized that that wouldn't have happened in this reality either. Meg wouldn't have blackmailed Dean into going to their father's warehouse. She hadn't sent him on a suicide mission and then tried to kill him when he'd managed to survive. Not in _this_ timeline.

"They _really_ got you good, huh, Sasquatch?" Lois made a face. "Actually makes me pissed." She turned to Chloe. "I'm going to go and see what I can sniff out."

"Thanks." Chloe smiled at her cousin.

"No prob." Lois smiled at her before going to Sam and slugging his shoulder. "Don't go full-on crazy, we'll figure something out." And with that, she left.

Chloe moved to hug Sam's arm, resting her forehead against it with a sigh. "Let's go to bed."

Sam knew he should press the issue of how he'd gotten here, of how this reality had come into being, but he was a man and he was weak. " _Yes_."

* * *

This was his wish come true, in a very morbid way, but there were too many things wrong with this world. Giles, Cordelia and Buffy shouldn't have to be dead, his brother shouldn't have to be a vampire, for Sam to get the girl. It was why he found himself back at the closed down Chinese store the morning after, Chloe having left with Meg earlier for some reason or the other. She'd left him to rest and he'd taken the opportunity so he could be alone and do some investigating on his own. No one else seemed to buy into his theory that he'd wished this reality into existence and Sam knew that the next time that he approached them with the theory he was going to have to have some sort of evidence to back up said theory, which was why he was back at the Chinese restaurant. It was the middle of the day so there was no threat of vampires of any sort of thing-not that he had to worry about that considering it seemed he was on the _side_ of the vampires-something he figured he should have more problems with but really didn't.

Shaking his head, not needing this sort of distraction, Sam made his way towards the fountain in the middle of the restaurant, which looked like it hadn't been used in months. He couldn't believe that he'd been there only yesterday morning, and that it'd been bustling with customers. Could his flipping a coin into this very fountain _truly_ have been what had caused the change? But why had it even changed locations to Sunnydale? There were just so many unanswered questions!

"So…" an unexpected voice asked behind him. "How does this rundown joint factor into your supposedly having wished this whole thing up?"

Sam turned to see Lois Lane leaning against the doorway, eyeing him with a frown. "What are you doing here?"

"Following you." She flicked at a cobweb before she pushed away from the doorway and made her way towards him and the fountain. "Thing is, Sammy, all last night I've been unable to keep what you said out of my mind." She let out a sigh. "Chloe's never going to believe your story because she's never going to believe that there could have been someone else for her other than you. Me? I'm going to keep my mind open to all sorts of possibilities despite how _implausible_ they seem. It's how I accepted what my baby cousin was and how I survived my first day in Sunnydale, after-all." She shucked her hands in her jacket's pockets and sighed as she gazed into the mucky waters of the fountain. "So despite how whackadoodle your story sounds, I'm going to push my disbelief aside and assume that you come from a reality in which the Harvest was stopped, Meg tried to kill Dean, and my cousin knows some guy with a girlie name who she has a romantic past with that isn't as much in the past as you would like it, otherwise you wouldn't have wished that she wouldn't have met him."

Sam nodded in silent.

"Okay." Lois took in a deep breath. "What does that have to do with this nasty-ass fountain?"

Sam licked his lips. "I made the wish by flipping a coin into this fountain. Only, I wasn't in Sunnydale when I did it. The restaurant changed locations after the wish came true."

Lois gave a slow nod. "Okay. First thing's first." She pulled out her wallet and removed a coin. "I'm going to test to make sure this is really a wishing well."

Sam took in a deep breath. "What are you gonna wish for?"

"Shh!" She flipped the coin into the dirty water. "Not supposed to tell. I'm sure there are rules about that."

Sam nodded as they waited, the two sharing expectant looks.

Suddenly Lois began to scream as she held onto her stomach and bent over, her body shaking.

"Lois?" Sam hurried to her.

"Oh my gods!" Lois cried out as she straightened up as much as she could, revealing a protruding belly, her shirt having ridden up.

Sam's eyes widened. "Lois-you're-."

"I had to think of something out of the ordinary that I couldn't explain away rationally!" She cried out.

"So you made yourself _pregnant_?" Sam squeaked.

"I'm _infertile_." Lois turned towards him, hand on her back. "I knew if I got knocked up it would _have_ to be some _major_ magic."

Sam just stared at the woman who had to be around six or seven months pregnant, at least. "You-uh-you should probably sit down."

"I think so too." Lois took in deep breaths as Sam helped her towards one of the benches, the brunette sitting down. "You need to drain that damn fountain and see what it's made out of because wishes usually never come without a price tag, and usually, it's a deadly one."

* * *

"It took the three of us to bring this one in," Tom announced as he unlocked the jail cell in the basement for her and motioned to the male shackled to the wall.

"The _three_ of you?" Chloe raised an eyebrow as she eyed Tom, Dean and Meg with raised eyebrows.

"I know right?" Ruby snorted. "I couldn't believe it when I heard it too."

"He's different than the others." Meg made a face.

"He's a vampire, for one." Dean sneered.

Chloe's eyes widened in shock as her gaze turned towards the prisoner with new appreciation. "A _vampire_ working with the White Hats? _Please_. They'd never trust a nightwalker into their ranks."

"According to him, he's different." Dean looked disgusted. "According to _him_ , he's got a _soul_."

Chloe's eyes widened further. "But that's _impossible_. There's no such thing as a vampire with a soul."

"Exactly." Dean sneered. "But he's sticking to the story. No matter how much we interrogated him."

Meg's gaze went to Dean. "Sun's up. You should rest."

Dean smirked. "Worried about me?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're no use to us exhausted."

"What have I missed?" A new voice asked as a door opened and closed, and the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard descending the stairs rapidly. "I heard something about someone getting the jump on Sam?"

"Hey Spitfire!" Dean yelled up at the approaching girl. "Don't run or you might fall and break your neck!"

"What are you, her father?" Meg rolled her eyes.

"Would that make you her mother?" Tom smart-mouthed.

Meg slugged her brother's arm with a glare.

'Spitfire' ignored the others and, the second her feet hit the last step, pushed off and hurried towards Chloe. She was slender, with flowing black curls, tanned skin, and hazel eyes. "Are you okay? Do we know who attacked?" She stopped in front of the blonde and started looking her over. "Is it the White Hats? I've tried calling Red a couple of times to get the skinny on the sitch but her boytoy says she's busy doing some sort of spell for you. _Are you okay_?"

Chloe's only answer was to hug the girl and pull her close. "I was worried about you. When I call, answer, Bette."

"I'm sorry, there was a situation but I handled it and got back the second I could." Bette hugged her back before tensing when she noticed the prisoner. "Who's the house guest?" She tensed. "Did _he_ attack Sam?"

"Not that we know of, but he might know what's going on." Chloe pulled away from Bette and turned to the prisoner before entering the cell through the open door. He was still unconscious from the "interrogations" Dean and the others had put him through during the night, the vampire shivering hard. A part of her wanted to feel pity for him but he was a White Hat, and that made him nothing more than an enemy, and she'd cultivated nothing but apathy for White Hats.

Eyes narrowed, the blonde reached out and shook him. "White Hat. Wake up."

He blinked his eyes as he awoke and looked up at her, a look of recognition appearing on his face.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "If you don't want another night like the one you went through at the hands of my friends, you'll tell me what the White Hats did to Sam and how to reverse it."

The vampire stared up at her. "We've done nothing to your conduit."

She reached out and grabbed his chin harshly, her pupils enlarging. "Don't play with me, White Hat. If you aren't the ones messing with his mind, then _who_?"

He spoke softly yet determined. "Whatever has happened to your conduit, we aren't responsible."

She stared deep into his eyes, tightening her grip on his chin before she let go with a glare. "Maybe so, but you're still useful to me. The White Hats have been a thorn in my side for far too long and I'm going to wring you for all the information you have inside of you until you have nothing left."

He shook his head. "It wasn't supposed to be this way."

Chloe gave him a little smile. "Is that so?"

He nodded.

The blonde came closer and ran her fingers down the side of his face, tauntingly tender. "And how was it supposed to be?"

"None of this would've happened if I hadn't been taken captive by the Initiative, if I hadn't been held for all those years." He frowned. "I talked to a seer. She said that I should have been there. We should have stopped the Harvest. None of this should have happened." He stared deep into her eyes. "I was supposed to help you. But I failed you. I'm sorry."

Chloe's eyes widened as she stared into those eyes, Sam's words about the Harvest coming back to haunt her. She then licked her lips as she narrowed her eyes on him. "What's your name, White Hat?"

"What does it matter what his name is?" Tom wanted to know, but was silenced with a glare from her.

Chloe narrowed her eyes further on the vampire as she reached out and grabbed his throat, Hellmouth energy seeping out painfully, punishingly, into him. " _I asked you a question_."

The vampire stared up at Chloe with a flinch of pain. "My name… is Angel."

* * *

"Typical fountain, plaster Buddha, nothing I can see would make this a magical wishing well." Sam made a face after having drained the fountain of the yucky water and completed his examination of the fountain itself.

Lois, who had been no help whatsoever but had ordered him around quite a bit, stood over him and pointed at something. "What is that?"

Sam made a face. "Some kind of old coin." He leaned over towards the middle of the fountain. "I don't recognize the markings." He tried to pick it up but couldn't. "Damn."

"Lift with your legs," the pregnant brunette instructed.

Sam ignored her as he tried with all his might to lift the coin from the fountain but couldn't. "It's like it's melded onto the bottom of the fountain."

"Oooh! Go outside and in my car's trunk you'll find a hammer and a crowbar, that should do the trick since physically you're such a weakling today." Lois leaned with her hands on her back. "Oh right, you don't remember what my car is. It's the beat up red Camaro."

"Nice." Sam smirked as he hurried out to get the things from her car, returning with the hammer and crowbar, but even with them he couldn't dislodge the coin from the fountain, instead managing to somehow break the hammer.

"Coin's magical." Lois nodded, as if she'd known this all along.

Sam eyed her before he shook his head and decided to fight magic with magic. He grounded himself, feet apart, and held his hand out towards the coin as he concentrated hard on dissolving whatever magic was affixing the coin to the fountain. He could feel it immediately reach out and counterattack him, that had been expected, but what _hadn't_ been expected was the rush of incredible, crushing _power_ within him that swept through his body and easily overpowered the magic surrounding and protecting the coin. Sam could feel an ancient, incredibly power and indescribable power and darkness inside of him, it was Hellmouth and yet it was _more_ , and he knew this was Chloe. This was-this was his connection to Chloe in a way he'd never experienced it before and it was _magnificent_. It made him feel alive and powerful and _unstoppable_ and-and-pleasure rattled through his body as every defense of the magic around the coin was destroyed, the protections helpless against him and his connection with Chloe.

Finally, it was over, seeming like almost a matter of seconds, the magic protecting the coin gone and the coin itself hovering in the air before shooting into Sam's palm.

"Bravo!" Lois clapped her hands before she pulled her phone out and took a picture of both sides of the coin. "I'll see what I can on this. I should be able to find some sort of match on Chloe's database. I still have the Xan-Man on loan from the Master, so I can send him to get any books referenced that haven't been uploaded to the system yet." She placed her hand on her stomach and flinched slightly. "You should probably drive though. I don't think I'll fit behind the wheel anymore."

* * *

Chloe walked passed the wall of whips, chains and other instruments of torture, now alone with the vampire, the others having left. All except for Bette, who leaned against the wall with her slender arms folded over her chest, watching with a dark expression and raised eyebrow. Whenever Sam was not around Bette usually took his place as Chloe's shadow, and now that she was back from her mission she wouldn't be moved. Plus, Chloe had a feeling Bette _really_ wanted a go at Angel because, like Chloe, she wasn't buying his story one bit.

"I'm friends with a lot of vampires, so I know that daytime's the worst for your kind." Chloe trailed her fingers over the leather binding his wrists to the table. "Cooped up for hours. Can't hunt."

"I don't hunt." Angel struggled against his binds, but it wouldn't be any use, he wouldn't get free, she'd made sure of it. "I don't hurt humans."

Bette snorted and shook her head.

"Ah, right, the _soul_." Chloe smirked at the thought of that story and shared a condescending smile with her protector. "You might have the White Hats bought with that one, but you don't have anyone else buying it."

"It's _true_." He continued to struggle. "I was cursed with a soul by gypsies."

"So it was a gypsy curse." She ran her fingers over his abs, digging her nails in and drawing blood, Hellmouth energy escaping her fingertips and burning him. "Still not original."

He grit his teeth in an effort to keep from screaming from the pain.

She dug her nails in deeper, pupils growing larger as Hellmouth energy visibly began to emerge from the floor around them in black wisps that scorched all they touched. "You might want to start talking before you start to melt."

Angel groaned as with one fluid movement she straddled him on that examination table, the Hellmouth energy raising up and slicing bits of him. "I won't say anything."

"Do yourself a favor, White Hat, and talk while she's still amused by your stupid lies," Bette muttered from the darkness as the Hellmouth energy circled her yet didn't hurt her like it did Angel. "You don't want her amusement to fade. You don't want her annoyed."

Chloe freed one of her hands from Angel's chest and rose to caress his face, the action a mockery of tenderness. "It's almost as if you're enjoying this." She then grabbed him by his hair and jerked his hair viciously to the side, the vampire moaning from the rough treatment, seeming short of breath. "Believe me, you won't enjoy this if I really start playing hardball with you. I'll pluck your wings, Angel boy, one by one."

He pulled on his binds. "You don't have to do this."

She stared down into his face and pressed a soft kiss to his lips before she sat up, straddling him with a little twisted smile. "But I want to." Her green gaze met Bette's as she held a hand out towards the other female. "Let's play."

"I thought you'd never ask." Bette's lips curled into a smile as she pushed away from the wall and came towards them, body beginning to glow.

* * *

Chloe wasn't answering her phone and that was making Sam a little uncomfortable. He tried not to think too much of it though as he got Lois the ridiculous amount of food she was craving and returned to the "command center" Chloe was using in Sunnydale in this alternate reality. He got back to find Lois being sick in a garbage can and another Animus demon, who he overheard her calling "Brady".

"Is everything okay?" Sam asked, worried.

"Other than the fact that you've gotten her pregnant?" Brady wanted to know, testily. "Fucking hell, Sammy!"

" _I_ didn't get her pregnant!" Sam's eyes widened.

Lois slapped Brady's stomach before taking the bottle of water he handed her, swishing the water in her mouth, and spitting it into the garbage container, which Brady took away. "The wishes turn bad, Sam." Her voice was strained and her face pale. "The wishes turn _very_ bad."

"How bad?" Sam's gaze went to the very large stomach she was resting her hands on top of.

Lois, who must have gotten Brady to bring her some maternity clothes, lifted her shirt to reveal a symbol etched under her stomach. "I'm gonna give birth to the antichrist."

Sam's eyes widened as he put down the bags of food. "So… _very_ bad."

Lois nodded as she grabbed the bags and went through them for her sandwich. "Yeah."

Brady returned. "The coin that you two found in the wishing fountain is Babylonian, and cursed." He went to stand behind Lois and massaged her shoulders as she began to chow down on the sandwich. "The serpent depicted is Tiamat, the Babylonian god of primordial chaos. Tiamat's priests must have been working some serious black magic and made the coin to sow the seeds of chaos." He paused. "It's brilliant, really. I'm guessing that whoever tosses the coin into a wishing well and makes a wish turns on the well. Then it starts granting wishes to all comers."

"Like little Damien here." Lois pointed to her stomach. "And your alternate reality."

"But then the wishes get twisted," Brady agreed. "From what we read on Chloe's database. This coin has turned more than one town upside down over the centuries. It's even wiped a few off the map. One person gets their wish, it's trouble, but everybody gets their wish…"

Sam's eyes widened. "It's chaos."

"And Bingo was his Name-o." Lois nodded.

"You've got to love how something so compact can cause so much damage." Brady smirked.

Lois, once more, glared at him.

Brady cleared his throat. "But, of course, Damien has got to go."

She still did not look happy with him.

"I mean, he's not even _mine_." Brady made a face.

Lois looked even less happy.

Brady looked around, somewhat desperately.

Sam smirked, highly amused.

Brady turned to Sam and cleared his throat. "So, bad news _for you_ is I'm not sure how to stop this thing."

Sam's smirk melted. "What do you mean?"

"Well, supposedly the way to go was to go to the first wisher, the one who'd dropped the coin in the well in the first place, and get them to remove the coin." Brady made a face. "But _you_ nulled that option when you removed the coin from the fountain yourself."

"Technically that should have gotten rid of it," Lois made a face. "I don't know what to say, Sam." She licked her lips. "If this reality is one that's been created by a wish, you might be stuck in it."

* * *

Better hurried up the stairs and yanked the door open to reveal Meg had been standing guard with her brother, Tom.

Meg peeked in. "Yes?"

"Go see the Master and let him know we're going to have company." Chloe's pupils were still large. "The White Hats are about to be annihilated, and I think he'll wanted to have front row seats."

* * *

Sam felt it the second it happened. Chloe was doing something, doing something _big_. He could feel it through their connection and it made him stumble as he brought his hand to his head and try to blink away the piercing awareness that jolted through him.

Brady and Lois' phones rang at the same time, both receiving messages.

Lois placed her hand on her stomach. "Damn it! I just _had_ to go for mystical pregnancy when this was going down!"

Brady sat her down. "Just stay here. We'll let you know what's going on."

"You better keep me informed!" Lois growled.

Brady nodded before he turned to Sam. "Come on, Meg's just texted me the location where it's all going down."

" _What_ is going down?" Sam frowned as they hurried out of the building towards Brady's car.

"We've finally been able to find the White Hats' headquarters and Chloe is leading the attack against them." Brady grinned darkly, in anticipation. "We're going to crush them into the ground!"

Sam frowned as they slipped into the car. "What?"

"We're gonna make them wish they never messed with us." Brady's smile was a sinister sight as he started the engine and sped away. "Tonight she shows them, and the whole world, not to mess with the power of the Hellmouth."

Sam narrowed his eyes. "She's managed to harness the power, to control it?"

Brady smirked in amusement. "I think you're in for a big reality adjustment, Sammy."

Sam was confused, wary, and then he thought about the immense power he'd felt when attacking the coin and it made sense. If Chloe had never met Angel then she wouldn't have been taken away by Angelus and all these years she would have been studying magic like Sam had. She would have been practicing, growing stronger. It made sense that she was so much stronger in this alternate reality.

He must have been deep in thought, because the drive was quicker than he would have expected, and the only thing that brought him out of his thoughts was the Hellmouth energy around him, rising from the ground like black wisps and Brady slamming on the brakes. Sam braced himself and grunted as the car came to a stop, eyes wide as he stared in front of him as demons and humans fought, the ground opening up like cracks all around them, Hellmouth energy rising from the ground. The demons though, they seemed almost supercharged, fighting viciously against the humans as they massacred them without any sort of sympathy.

Brady chuckled. "And here I am, missing out on all of the fun."

"Fun?" Sam whispered and turned to look at him, but the door was open and Brady already gone.

Screams and pleads for mercy echoed throughout the air.

A Desoto with tinted windows was parked off to the side, the Ramones blaring from within. Obviously Spike was having a good time watching the carnage from within… And then Sam saw a flash of platinum blonde hair in the middle of the fray and realized Spike was out, joining the fight himself. And now that he thought about it, Spike wasn't one to _not_ join a fight, was he? He'd get _bored_.

Sam emerged from the car in time for a teenaged girl to have her head ripped off and for it to come rolling by his feet. He stared at it, her eyes staring up at him in horror, and he felt sick to his stomach.

This was wrong.

This was all _wrong_.

Movement above caused him to raise his gaze to see dark shadow-tentacles of Hellmouth-energy emerge from Chloe and pierce through a Watcher-type male, her smirk dark as she stared deep into his eyes, watching him die. She was visibly pulsating with Hellmouth energy, not allowing anyone to get close to her, and those that tried collapsed, spasming as the poison set in quickly. The closest person to Chloe was a redheaded witch who was standing between her and a group of White Hats, the redhead viciously exterminating the group of witches by tearing their skin right off of their bodies. Also next to Chloe was what appeared to be a huge bonfire of some sort, which was catching people and things around it on fire.

Meanwhile, Chloe's pupils had expanded, her face paled, and her smile sharper, twisted. Unlike the Chloe Sam knew, she didn't seem to do much physical fighting, instead Hellmouth-magic seemed to be her go-to weapon. Then again, Angel hadn't been around to teach her hand-to-hand combat in this world, had he? And because of that she'd relied more and more on the Hellmouth energy and it was consuming her.

Lois' words from before haunted Sam's mind: ' _The wishes turn bad, Sam.'_

And now, as he watched the death and destruction, and Chloe's eager, sadistic smile throughout it all, he could truly believe it.

Finally, the last White Hat fell, and the Hellmouth energy dissipated, a cheer rising from the victorious demons.

Chloe smirked as she stood amongst the death and decay.

In the real world things weren't like this. Even when in the company of the three most sadistic vampires of all history she'd managed to keep her humanity intact. He was not going to let her lose it so he could have her.

Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out the coin of Tiamat before closing his fingers around it tightly, determined.

* * *

"What's wrong?" Brady wanted to know a couple of hours later as he arrived and passed Lois a glass of warmed milk. " _Other_ than the fact that you're pregnant with the antichrist, of course."

Lois didn't answer immediately, merely drank the warm beverage in thought, a hand on her stomach. "This isn't our Sam."

He sighed and threw himself on the sofa next to her, lifting her swollen feet and resting them on his lap. "I figured that after the whole..." he motioned to her stomach. "But wish or not I don't think we're just a reality he wished into being."

"I don't either, I think he's either switched places with our Sam, or taken over his body. I think somehow this is a worse case scenario for him, although I don't know how exactly." Lois took in a deep breath. "I have no idea how to help him go back and how to get our Sam back though. He broke the well."

"Something will work out," Brady assured her. "We won against the White Hats, let's just celebrate that today and think about the rest tomorrow, okay?"

Lois glanced up at him over the rim of her glass, a small smile playing on her lips. "Okay."

* * *

"Don't be silly." Chloe rested her cheek against his heart, a contented sigh escaping her lips. They'd celebrated their win, and while Sam wanted to believe that he would've been strong enough to turn her away, to say something about the massacre, he hadn't. Instead, when her lips had found his, he'd lost all self control. Now they lay curled up in bed, the blonde pressing small kisses to his heart. "For the first time in a long time we can breathe a sigh of relief. Those White Hats are dead, and until the next upstart makes himself known, we can enjoy ourselves."

Sam frowned, running his fingers through her hair.

"I met Angel today, by the way. The vampire with the supposed soul."

Sam's eyes widened in shock. " _What_?"

"Don't worry." Chloe pressed a kiss to his chest. "I got the information I needed out of him, and then I killed him."

Sam went still. " _You did_ ** _what_** _?"_

"You don't have to worry about me and him, I love you, Sam. You don't have to worry about any wishes. I'm here and he isn't." She ran her fingers over his abs, which spasmed under her touch. "I am, have always been, and will always be, yours. Nothing, and no one, will change that."

Sam closed his eyes tightly.

"And if anyone tries to change that, we'll torture and kill them, together." She smiled against his chest and pressed a kiss to him as she cuddled closer before she paused. "What's that?"

He opened his eyes. "What's what?"

The girl leaned over and reached for the coin, curling up against him once more. "Is that Tiamat?"

Sam's eyes widened. "Yeah."

"This is in mint condition, where did you get this?" Chloe eyed him curiously.

"The Chinese restaurant across from the Bronze," he decided to answer truthfully.

"What were you doing there? It's been closed for ages." Chloe licked her lips as she eyed the coin. "I wonder what this coin was doing in that store though. I mean, Tiamat, she's _Babylonian_ , not Chinese."

Sam cleared his throat, taking opportunity that Brady and Lois had agreed to let him talk to Chloe about what was going on, though they hadn't known _why_ he'd wanted to keep it a secret from her. "What do you know about Tiamat?"

"Not that much, just the basics really." Chloe eyed the coin curiously. "That's odd."

"What?" Sam frowned.

"It's just that Marduk is on the other side. You see this spade? It symbolizes him. I would have expected anyone _but_ Marduk to be on the other side." She sent Sam a little sideways look. "He's the one who killed Tiamat."

Sam did his best not to look too eager for the information. "How did he kill her?"

"I'm a little rusty on my Babylonian mythology," she admitted sheepishly, looking so much like his Chloe that it kinda hurt. "But if my memory serves me right, he traps her in his net, blows her up with his winds, and then pierces her belly with an arrow."

Sam blinked. "I see."

"Yeah. God slaying is nasty business. Even the Babylonian sun-god who has _thunderbolts_ sometimes has to go out of his way and and use inconvenient methods. I never got why he didn't just throw a thunderbolt at her." Chloe laughed as she reached up to press a kiss to Sam's lips and passed him back his coin. "Anyway, I need my beauty rest."

He kissed her, hard, as he closed his hand tightly around the stone, calling on their joined magic to conjure a flash of vicious lightning in his palm.

* * *

Sam's eyes flew open, and he found himself standing outside of Giles', bags of food on the floor, a charred coin in his hand.

He looked around him, he should feel relief, and yet he realized that although he'd been fighting to get back here all the time he'd been in the alternate universe, now that he was back here he wished he was back in bed with Chloe, kissing her, deep inside of her. A dark voice inside of him was screaming at him, screaming that who cared if she'd lost some of her humanity? Who cared if she'd led a group of demons against some humans? Those humans had first tried to kill her and had then been trying to control her! What was wrong with what she'd done? She'd just wanted to be free? To live in peace! Why couldn't he have just stayed there? What was so great about back here that he had to get back to?

The front door opened and Chloe's eyes widened in surprise. "Sam!" Her gaze went to the ground. "Is that food? And if so, why is it on the ground?"

He took in a deep breath. "I, uh-."

"Chinese for breakfast." She grinned as she looked up at him and then that smile melted. "Sam? Are you okay?"

He nodded. "I-."

The blonde stepped over the bags of food and hugged Sam. "What happened?"

He gulped loudly around the lump in his throat and just hugged her tightly.

"What happened?" She asked again, voice worried. "Sam? _What happened_?"

He couldn't tell her.

He couldn't.

Sam couldn't bring himself to admit to her, or even to himself, how much he'd loved the world in which she'd never met Angel.

* * *

 **TBC**


	8. Hollywood Babylon

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Based on Supernatural Season 3 "Hollywood Babylon"

* * *

"Have you noticed that something's been up with Sam lately?" Dean wanted to know as he turned to Cordelia, who'd insisted on spending the morning in bed despite the many things they had to do today. "I want to say that it's only because Angel just showed up, but I don't know, I feel like it's something else."

"Well, I don't know, it can't help that he and Chloe are _seconds_ away from doing the horizontal mambo and them _bam_ , the bad scent from her past comes breezing in like the little fart-face he is." Cordelia was in no way, shape or form on Team Angel, and she made no secret of it. "He's the reason I can't enjoy Twilight! Damn it! Have you _realized_ how ridiculously similar he and Edward Cullen are?"

"No, because I have a penis and do not watch that shit." Dean raised an eyebrow at his girl.

Cordelia rolled her eyes as she rested her cheek over his heart, her finger tracing a design over his stomach. "Anyway, it can't help that Chloe's going to go and meet with Angel today."

"She is?" Dean frowned, half distracted by the feeling of his girlfriend's finger.

"Yuh." Cordelia nodded. "Sam knows it too. It's why Buffy's taking him on a little 'The girl who you've been in love with for _ages_ and who is _perfect_ for you is going to get back with her stupid ex so I'm going to distract you with a possible Scooby thing' mission."

Dean stared at her before blinking. "I see."

"I'm not talking to her because she should have invited me along." Cordelia informed him with a little huff. "Giles' friend, at some movie production, apparently might've had some ghost appear or something like that, on set. So they're going to go and check it out. It would be perfect for me to go and stun the casting agents, but would they bring me along? No. Buffy's like - this is about Sam, not you. How selfish is _that_?"

Dean, ever smarter with age, chose not to answer.

* * *

"I think Stage 9 is over here," Giles decided after a very long couple of minutes just looking from one direction to another to another.

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Gee. What gave you that idea? The large sign saying Stage 9?"

Giles turned to her and blinked. "What sign?"

Sam silently yet obediently pointed towards the direction in the distance which he and Buffy had noticed immediately, yet had stayed quiet on since Giles had been in his element showing them around. He understood why Buffy had insisted he join them on this venture, and while he was appreciative of her efforts to keep his mind off of the Chloe/Angel meeting no doubt taking place right now, he didn't think he was the right person for this mission. He'd never really been interested in Hollywood and could've honestly just spent the time studying, but he'd decided to come here if only to make sure that it was impossible to try and sneak a peek on the Chloe/Angel meeting.

"Oh. Yes. That sign." Giles cleared his throat and wouldn't meet their gaze as he stormed off in the correct direction. "Come now. Let's keep going this way."

"So this crew guy." Buffy easily caught up with him. "He died on set?"

"Yes. Apparently rumors are spreading like wildfire that the set's haunted." Giles nodded, gaze on the Stage 9 sign. "The girl who found him said she saw something - a vanishing figure."

"Who found him?" Buffy wanted to know as she joined Giles' side. "She'd be the best person to interview first."

"I think Preston said her name was Rachel Davenport," Giles responded after a moment's thought. "I think she might have a spot in the movie. I'm not quite sure."

"Rachel Davenport?" Sam suddenly snickered from behind them, drawing their attention to him. "From Stab Me Once, Stab Me Twice, Stab Me Once More, FeardotCom, Warrior Angel and Ghost Ship?" His grin grew. "Wow. Dean is going to be so _pissed_ you didn't invite him along for this one."

"He a fan?" Giles asked curiously.

"Let's just say he's been following her movies since they were both teenagers." Sam smirked, not feeling bad at all about selling out his brother's teenaged secret fantasy. "When she was finally eighteen, and had that topless scene in Stab Me Once More, he immortalized it on his wall for years until Cordy burnt it."

Buffy feigned vomiting. "I'm never going to get having posters of naked women on your walls. Or guys, for that matter." She glanced over at Giles. "You didn't do things like that when you were a teenager, right, Giles?"

Giles, suspiciously enough, took that moment to take off his glasses and wipe them with his coat as he hurried his stride and took the lead. He then put on his glasses and pulled out his phone from his jacket's inside pocket. Dialing a number, he brought it to his ear and waited a second before taking in a deep breath. "Preston, we're here old chap. Where are you?" He glanced around and then smiled as he hung up. Waving towards Buffy and Sam to follow him, Giles moved through the crowd and hugged a man who looked in the prime of his mid-life crisis. He was around the same age of Giles but was decked in gold and wore tight skinny jeans and a muscle shirt. It was not attractive in the least bit.

Once Sam and Buffy made it to where Preston was, the old man gave Sam a brief look-over before dismissing him and fixating his attention solely on the Slayer. It made both Buffy and Giles visibly uncomfortable yet amused Sam. He wasn't worried, if this Preston guy crossed the line then Buffy would no doubt put him down with extreme prejudice. That was why he was smirking at the Slayer and remained in the back of the group as they congregated in Preston's trailer, the man giving them the lowdown on what was going on.

"No, no, I managed to figure out that that first death was pure marketing," Preston Wallace surprised them as he threw himself down on his sofa. "The studio hired some third rate actor to pull it off and create more hype for the movie."

"Isn't that kind of cruel though?" Sam wanted to know as he leaned against the wall. "The cast and crew think it's an actual death."

Preston shrugged with little care. "The death that _really_ concerns me is, of course, the second which I alluded to after." He leaned forwards and rested his elbows on his knees. "It was Brad Redding, one of the studio execs for the movie, a stupid, brainless man if there ever was one." He snorted. "He thought that the horror movie needed _more color_ , that it was _depressing_. He also didn't understand the logic of chants bringing demons out of hell, wanted to know how the demons could hear the chants all the way from hell and made me write in that they had _super hearing_ because it didn't make sense to him or the studio otherwise." He rolled his eyes in utter disgust. "He hung himself from the ceiling during one of our shoots and ever since we've been getting all sorts of problems of set with audio, visual, _everything_. I think that bastard is doing his best to ruin my movie." He made a face. "Dave, one of the sound guys, picked up something I want to show you."

"What exactly _are_ you in this industry, anyway?" Buffy asked from where she stood next to Giles.

"I'm the screenwriter," Preston replied with a large grin. "I wrote the screenplays of _huge_ successes, you've probably heard of my body of work: Hotel Hell, Death By Sea, Carry On My Cursed Firstborn, Hell Truck." When he saw that nothing was registering on the girl's face, he cleared his throat. "All highly acclaimed, I assure you."

Buffy raised an eyebrow and turned to Giles. "How exactly do you know him again?"

"We used to go to school together," Giles replied, voice tired.

"Except _I_ decided not to become a stuffy old man who spent his life amongst occult books," Preston informed her before eyeing Giles critically. "Really? Rupert? _Tweed_?"

Given what he was wearing, Sam really didn't think Preston should be criticizing anyone about their fashion choices.

"You forgot to mention that you were flunked out of the Academy due to your inability to master the dead languages," Giles reminded him, a bit uppity, and no wonder really.

"And who is better off for it? Me!" Preston stood. "I'm using the knowledge those old windbags crammed down our throats to make millions and gained international acclaim, while you're still their servant." He eyed Buffy. "Sure, you've got a hot little floozy, but I—."

"She is the _Slayer_." Giles glared at him, his eyes narrowed and voice dangerous. "If you will not show _me_ any respect, have the courtesy to show it to _her_."

"The Slayer?" Preston paused and eyed Buffy in shock. "This little thing? Impossible! She couldn't hurt a fly!"

Buffy cracked her knuckles, visibly itching to show him how untrue that statement was.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and, without waiting for a response, the door was flung open and a pretty brunette entered, her nose stuck in the screenplay in her hands. "Pres? I wanted to ask you—." She then froze when she looked up and saw them there.

Sam immediately recognized her from the many movies Dean had forced him to watch of her while growing up. This was Rachel Davenport.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize—."

"Come in, Rach, gorgeous." Preston ushered her in with a slick smile. "I'd like you to meet some friends of mine. They came to see how we Hollywood people live the high life." He placed a hand at the small of her back. "This is an _older_ acquaintance of mine, Rupert Giles, he's a _librarian_. And this—."

" _Hello_." Rachel's eyes and smile widened as she stepped out of Preston's touch and held out her hand towards Giles. "I'm Rachel Davenport."

"Rupert Giles," Giles responded as he shook her hand. "It is a pleasure your acquaintance, Miss Davenport."

Rachel smiled brighter before biting down on her bottom lip. "I love your accent. It's _dreamy_."

Giles flushed visibly.

"We have the same accent," Preston was quick to point out.

"What part of England do you come from, Mister Giles?" Rachel kept her hand in Giles', her attention completely centered on his face.

"London, born and raised."

"Oh I _love_ London," Rachel exclaimed, her gaze never leaving Giles' eyes. "You'll have to show me around some day."

Buffy's lips parted in outrage.

Preston cleared his throat as he got in between them with a large smile. "Rach, darlin'? You came to see me for a reason?"

"Oh. Yes." Rachel reluctantly slipped her hand from Giles' and turned to Preston. "It's about this script. I can't wrap my head around the dialogue, you know? Salt keeping away bad spirits? Does that sound silly? I mean, why would a ghost be afraid of salt?"

Buffy snorted and muttered something under her breath.

Sam also couldn't keep his smirk off his face.

"I'm not _married_ to salt," Preston informed her as he slipped an arm around her shoulder and began leading her to the couch. "It doesn't seem very _Hollywood_ , now, does it?"

"It doesn't seem to make sense," Rachel corrected him.

Buffy turned to Sam and once more feigned vomiting.

Preston laughed and nodded, opening his mouth.

Giles cleared his throat. "Well, Hollywood or not, if you want any sort of _realism_ to this story I would stick with the salt."

In seconds Rachel had slipped out from under Preston's arm and turned to face Giles once more. "Why do say that? What is _real_ about _salt_?"

"Salt draws moisture out of things. It was an old pagan belief that spirits could not cross over a salt boundary because it drew out their essence." Giles went immediately into Watcher/teacher mode. "This belief spans many different cultures, so it should not be scoffed at."

Rachel's eyes were wide. " _Wow_." She smiled and sidled up by Giles' side, looping an arm around his and drawing him closer while she played with her necklace. "You _must_ tell me more."

Buffy gave a little squeak of outrage.

"T-that's a pretty necklace," Giles stammered. "Flourite, isn't it?"

Rachel glanced down at the pendant curiously. "I'm not sure. Pres gave it to me, said it's something my character would wear, so since I'm all into method acting I never take it off." She tilted her gaze up at him. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, Flourite is a fascinating stone," the Watcher assured her as he cleared his throat. "Amongst other things, it focuses the will."

"Does it now?" Rachel leaned so that her chest was pressed against Giles' arm.

"I—I really must —," Giles began as he tried to extricate himself.

"Would you like a tour around the set? I'll be your tour guide and _you_ can explain more about this salt and paganism thing to me." Without even a glance towards anyone else, Rachel pulled Giles out of the trailer with her.

Buffy stood there, arms tense and hands clenched into fists as she glared at the closed trailer door.

"What the bloody hell _is_ it about Rupert?" Preston wanted to know, clearly just as ticked off and jealous as Buffy was. "Despite that boring, completely uninteresting exterior he has always managed to get the birds around him to throw their knickers at him!"

In seconds Buffy turned and grabbed Preston by the front of his shirt, yanking the man clear off the ground. "There will be _no_ removal of knickers, you got that?" She pulled him close. "If her hand goes anywhere _close_ to her knickers you're going to lose something _vital_. Comprende?"

Preston's eyes widened. " _You too_?"

Buffy glared at him quite murderously.

Sensing that the screenwriter was about to say something that would end up in his own castration, Sam stepped forwards. "You said you had something to show us? Something from a sound guy?"

"R-right." Preston nodded and gulped when Buffy let go of him and let his feet finally hit the wall. "He picked up an EVP. Here. Let me play it for you."

* * *

It was moments like these in which Chloe missed her ring the most. It'd become a nervous habit of hers to twist it around her finger, but now that it was gone she was left with nothing to take her nervous energy out on. _I hate this._ She shouldn't be this nervous, or feel quite this queasy, but she was/did. She'd gotten to the warehouse early and used the time to pace outside in the backyard, had needed the time to think things over. To be honest though, she'd really just wanted the option to leave if her nerve left her, and she was very much tempted to do just that. She wasn't ready to see Angel again, he was just going to have to understand that.

Turning to leave, Chloe froze when she found herself staring into the face of a large, monstrous looking dog. It's body was muscular, his claws and eyes glowing with a fiery hue. The size of a Great Dane it had the body mass of a Rottweiler, reminding her somewhat of a Leonberger. This had to be one a Hellhound. But what was it doing here? She had to tell the others. Something must be happening in this sp—.

Turning around to leave in the opposite direction, Chloe stopped short once more to find another blocking her path, this one even larger than the other. Her heart raced as she glanced back and forth between the two Hellhounds, only to notice movement all around her as more and more of those things emerged from seemingly nowhere until they completely encircled her. Chloe's voice was caught in her throat, fear filling her, remembering her friends' accounts that these things had massacred the Watcher's Meet.

What were they doing here in the middle of the city? In the isolated backyard of Wimbley's abandoned factory? What was Angel doing that could possibly—?

The Hellhounds sat down, almost in unison, their fiery gazes on her.

Turning slowly, Chloe's gaze fell form Hellhound to Hellhound. Why weren't they attacking? They almost seemed to be trying to keep her trapped. But why? What was going on?

A noise sounded in the warehouse, drawing Chloe's attention towards it, and in the seconds it took for her gaze to return to the Hellhounds they were gone.

Lips parted, Chloe's eyes widened even further. _What_ was going on? Why had they appeared? Why had they left? Why hadn't they attacked her?

"Chloe?" A voice called from the darkness of the cellar door situation under a small grove of trees. "Is that you?"

Jumping at Angel's voice, Chloe glanced over in his direction before giving her surroundings one last look, making sure that they were really gone as she made her way towards the opening. "Yeah." She descended into the darkness, headed towards the flashlight beam deeper inside. For a moment she paused and realized just how easily she'd stepped into the darkness. Anyone else might pause, might be a little intimidated, but she'd entered without a second thought. "Hello, Angel."

"Hey." Looking like he hadn't had a good night's sleep since he'd left, Angel appeared anxious and uncomfortable, as if not quite sure what to do next or how to behave. "Thanks for calling me. I was worried you wouldn't."

"When have _I_ ever let _you_ down?" Chloe knew it was a low blow but couldn't stop herself. She sighed and hugged her arms to her body tightly.

"I deserved that," Angel whispered as he continued to stand in that awkward way.

"What are you doing here, Angel?" She asked softly, tiredly.

He flinched, and instead of answering, asked: "How are you? You said something about being tapped into against your will?" He motioned for her to follow him down the dimly lit passageway.

She followed a step behind his pace. "Buffy has been having visions of people who can tap into my Hellmouth energy, and Sam has sensed both times those people have tapped in."

"Tapped in _how_?" Angel pressed, looking more at ease now that the conversation had shifted to a different topic. "I don't get that part."

Given how confused _she_ was about the particulars herself she didn't blame him for his confusion. "Imagine that I have a locked vault inside of me where I keep the Hellmouth energy I've accumulated by tapping into the Hellmouth itself, and these guys have some sort of skeleton key that allows them to open the vault against my wishes, but when they open it the energy bursts out in uncontrollable waves that are so powerful that we both begin to drown in it."

"You can't control the energy you have stored inside of you?" He asked in surprise.

She shook her head, also finding her nerves from before draining slowly now that they were talking about something that had nothing to do with their personal (and failed) connection. "It's as if my body goes into shock from the overload. It did something similar when I tapped into the Hellmouth to find you when Spike and Dru kidnapped you that one time. Just like then, if it hadn't been for Sam's intervention I would've been in a lot of trouble."

Angel flinched and wouldn't look in her direction. He was probably remembering that when Chloe had done that she'd unintentionally strengthened whatever Dru had done to her blood - he was probably reminiscing on how Chloe's desperate actions to find him had inadvertently brought about Angelus' return quicker than it would've been otherwise.

Hugging herself tighter, Chloe kept her gaze ahead of her on the dimly lit hallway. "Azazel is planning something, and since I'm having nightmares I can't even remember… well… it seems very much Apocalypse Soonish."

"You've seen the Animus Demon again?" Angel asked in surprise.

"No, but he's linked to at least one of the guys who tapped into me, and he told the Sunnydale Watcher something was almost ready. It doesn't take a genius to realize he's connected to all of this."

Agitation was clearly visible on his face as he ran his hand over his head. "I'll reach out to my contacts in the demon community to see if they've heard or seen anything."

"Kal is already on it," she informed him. "The Watcher Council also knows something is up and if they find out anything about an obscure or forgotten prophecy we mightn't know about they will let us know." She fought with the desire to fidget. "Jenny is reaching out to her contacts in the technopagan community, the Slayer and Watcher in charge of Sunnydale have promised to get in contact with us should they have any further dealings with Azazel, and we're studying lore Giles believes might give us an insight on the Hellmouth itself to see whether someone else might've been in my shoes or something similar. Giles is sure I'm the first of 'my kind' though, since he's sure that a natural conduit of the Hellmouth energy would've been a big enough deal to be taught in the Watcher's Academy and feature in at least one exam." She made a face at the idea of being featured in an exam. "As it is they think I should be given into the custody of the Watcher's Council for 'observation and safe-keeping'."

" _What_?"

She nodded, not happy with that either. She'd asked Giles not to tell the others because she didn't want to give them more things to worry about, but that _was_ a worry she was dealing with. From the very beginning, once they'd learnt of her unique connection with the Hellmouth energy, the Watcher Council had wanted a more hands-on approach with her, but different situations had kept it from happening. Her dropping off of the face of the world and living MIA for three years had made it even harder for them to do what they'd wanted, and now that she was back, and something Apocalypsy could be happening, and so many of their own had been massacred… Giles had warned her that he was worried on what they might do once they met and had a Council Meeting in a couple of days.

"Maybe they're right," Chloe muttered, hating to admit to that, but hadn't the Hellhounds outside just proved that there was more going on than she knew or could probably ever understand? "No one understands what I am or what I'm capable of if someone taps into the Hellmouth energy I've somehow managed to accumulate inside of me. Dru already showed how I can be activated to perform nefarious acts without my even realizing it. Maybe I _should_ go spend some time with the Watchers Council. They could study me, and I'm sure they have spelled rooms where I'd be safe, or neutralized, or something. At least until the threat is over."

Angel opened his mouth and then closed it as he hugged his hands to his chest. "Is that really what you want to do?"

No. It wasn't. She wanted to be here helping her friends not only find out a cure to the Winchester family curse, but anything else they needed. "I don't know. Maybe. I'm still unsure."

Angel took in a deep breath. "Whatever you decide… I'll support that."

Chloe's smile didn't reach her eyes.

* * *

They hadn't been able to clearly make out what the voice on the EVP Preston had ready for them to listen to, but that hadn't been the extent of his findings. After he'd seen the looks passed between Buffy and Sam, the screenwriter had then popped in one of the dailies in the dvd player and showed them the actual filming of the studio guy's death, which had been caught on film.

"All right, here's where Brad fell through the roof." Preston leaned back in the sofa, while (on his either side) Buffy and Sam leaned forwards to get a better view.

 _Onscreen, the young blonde actress stared out of the window of a creepy cabin, fear on her face. "They're in hell, Mitch! How could demons possibly hear us chanting from that dusty old book?"_

 _Mitch held his shotgun tightly to his chest, eyes wide as sudden realization dawned on him visibly. "They must have super-hearing!"_

 _Suddenly Brad fell through the ceiling of the set, hanging by a noose, causing everyone to scream and hurry away._

"Hey, wait, go back. Go back!" Buffy yanked the remote from Preston and rewound the footage before playing to right after Brad's body had fallen, and then paused the frame. "Yeah… There." She pointed to the side of the set which had become visible when the startled cameraman moved the camera sideways. On the screen, for a split second, there was a completely different set and standing in the far corner of this set was a ghost white woman.

"How did you pick that up?" Preston asked in awe. "It couldn't have been more than a second's worth of footage!"

" _Slayer_." Buffy pointed to herself, eyes on the screen. "Any idea who the dead broad is?"

"No, but it's like Three Men and a Baby all over again," Preston muttered, and must've sensed Sam's confused look before he hurried to explain. "Selleck, Danson, and Guttenberg. And… I don't know who played the baby."

"Is there a point to this or are you just showing off your movie trivial knowledge?" Buffy had been quite grumpy since Rachel had kidnapped and disappeared with Giles.

"You're not a very socially adept person, are you?" Preston raised an eyebrow.

Buffy gasped. "I'll have you know I was the captain of my cheerleading squad." At Sam's look she pouted. "I _was_. Before Sunnydale."

Ah. Right. Now that Sam thought about it he could somewhat remember Chloe mentioning that to him once when he'd come across Buffy trying to convince Giles that she wasn't joining a cult by trying out for the Sunnydale cheerleading squad.

"Sure you were," Preston scoffed before he turned to Sam. "There's a scene in the movie where people say that the camera caught a ghost on film. Apparently, in the background of one of the scenes, there was this boy that nobody remembers from set."

"Spirit photography," Sam muttered in understanding.

" _Exactly_." Preston snapped his fingers at Sam, grin wide.

The door opened and Giles and Rachel could be heard chuckling as they entered the trailer.

Buffy stood immediately, eyes narrowed. " _Giles_."

He jumped slightly and turned to face her. "Buffy! Rachel has told me some _fascinating_ —."

" _Lovely_ ," Buffy interrupted, hands on her hips. "While you've been _frolicking_ I've been hard at work."

"What are we, chopped liver?" Preston asked Sam with a huff.

"Now, Buffy," Giles begun.

"Wow, the resemblance is uncanny." Rachel stepped forwards and eyed the screen with furrowed eyebrows. "Are we adding Elise to the movie, Pres? Have there been some rewrites that I haven't heard of?"

"You know who that is?" Sam asked as he stood.

"Well, _duh_. That's an actress who is a _freakily_ good double of Elise Drummond." Rachel turned to him, and when she saw the blank looks on everyone's faces she pressed on. "C'mon, you must've heard of her. She was a huge starlet back in the thirties until she had an affair with a studio exec. He used her up, fired her, and left her destitute. Basically the scandal ruined her career." Rachel made a face as suddenly unease visibly filled her. "She hung herself from Stage 9's rafters, right into a scene they were shooting."

"You sure seem to know a lot about some random actress from the 30's," Buffy muttered.

Sam had been wonder the same, but the Slayer had beat him to the question.

"She's a huge cautionary tale," Rachel informed the Slayer. "The studio guys think that they can get away with anything when it comes to the actresses, especially when we're still trying to make a name for ourselves. 'Remember Elise' is a warning we tell our new actresses. There are other examples, of course, but considering her connection to Studio 9…" Rachel shrugged before she hugged herself. "Isn't it weird that that guy hung himself during our reshoots like Elise did?" She turned to Preston. "That _is_ a double, right?" She shivered. "I _did_ see that _thing_ when Frank died."

Ah right, Rachel didn't know that that had all been a publicity stunt. Sam felt a little bad for her. "It has to be. I mean, after seventy-something years there's no reason for that ghost to go homicidal, you know? Why this movie?"

"Maybe she's mad they're making a scary ghost flick," Rachel countered as she rubbed her pendant nervously. "It could've triggered her."

"C'mon now, I've seen the dailies," Buffy declared with a sneer on her face. "Let's be honest, it's not _really_ scary."

"Oh boy," Sam muttered under his breath.

Suddenly the door flew open and one of the crewmen stuck her head in, looking a mixture of horrified and electrified. "Jay's dead!"

" _What_?" Rachel's eyes widened as she turned to her in shock.

Sam stood. "How did he die? And when? We didn't hear anything."

The girl took in a deep breath. "It was a freak sort of accident. He got sucked into one of our giant fans. No one's sure how it happened, but the sound of them on must've muffled any sound he would've made." She looked out at someone calling for her. "Coming!" And with that she slammed the door shut and left.

"A run-in with a giant fan?" Rachel collapsed onto the seat that Sam had vacated. "Same thing happened to an electrician back in '66."

"How the hell do you _know_ so much?" Buffy wanted to know.

"The crew talk, I listen. Like six people died on Stage 9, people have always said it might be haunted, but I like, thought they were tales the crew told to freak us out!" Rachel hugged herself, very pale. "But they're real! This place is haunted and out to get us!"

"Look, even if it was haunted this doesn't seem like something Elise would do," Sam tried to console the clearly terrified brunette. "It's not her MO."

"But what about the guy who _did_ die that way?" Rachel wanted to know.

"These kind of things don't usually tag-team." Buffy then blinked. "Not that I _believe_ in hauntings or anything!"

"I _saw_ something when I found Franke's body, okay!?" Rachel shot up to her feet, eyes narrowed. "I don't care if nobody believes me! Ghosts are real and we're all in danger!" With that she pushed passed them and hurried out of the trailer.

Giles raised an eyebrow at Buffy. "Was that _really_ the nicest way to handle that? The girl is clearly traumatized by her ordeal."

"Oh, sure, take _her_ side!" Buffy snapped at him before storming out of the trailer as well.

Preston glared at Giles. "What the bloody hell sort of power do you _have_?" And with that he _too_ left, his last words before he slammed the door shut behind him were: "It's not _fair_!"

Giles turned to Sam in visible confusion. "What just happened?"

Sam could do nothing more but shrug.

* * *

Cordelia Chase lounged on the sofa, her head rested on Dean's lap as they watched one of his favorite movies: Stab Me Once. When she'd told him that she wanted a day of just chilling, to forget about the crazy upheaval that was going on around them (even if only for 24 hours) he'd looked surprised but had quickly agreed, especially when she'd told him she had a desire to watch his favorite scary movie trilogy. There were few times in which she indulged in his vices, and she knew that Dean took each opportunity like a reward. He was never sure exactly what he'd done to get in her good graces, and he'd usually spend days trying to figure out what it was just so he could repeat and get more rewards. He was like a cute puppy she'd trained.

Her tender smile turned into a small frown as she stared ahead of her unseeingly. When would she be able to be like this with Dean again? She'd send him out to get them take-out later on, and when he came back it would be too late. By that time she'd be on the road with this douchebag of a father, heading towards only the gods and John Winchester knew where. He'd only allow her to know, would only help her save her life, if she kept Dean out of the loop, and while she hated doing that to him… he would die as well if something didn't change. Cordelia Chase had a shot at ending the Winchester family curse, and she would take it. She'd spent too many years training Dean to be the perfect man for her to lose it all because of a damn curse.

Dean would be pissed when he found out what she'd done, but she was more than sure that she could win him back over once the curse was lifted and he found out she'd been the hero and saved their future. Cordelia Chase: Hero. She liked the sound of that.

"Baby, how about later we get some hamburgers and pie?" Cordelia asked, gaze on the television.

"What about your cleanse?" Dean asked in shock.

"Are you calling me fat?" She slapped his knee.

"Of course not! You're perfect!" Dean announced genuinely. "You want hamburgers and pie? Who am I to look the gift-horse in the mouth?"

"Yeah, I'm perfect," Cordelia assured him. "You better not forget how lucky you are that I'm in your life."

"Never," he promised with a chuckle.

Cordelia closed her eyes tightly and told herself not to cry.

* * *

After the police had come and investigated the scene of the accident, the director of Hell Hazers 2: The Reckoning had announced that, in light of the accident, and in cooperation with the authorities, they were shitting down production for a few days. Buffy was relieved to be able to have the place to herself. She paced up and down the different scaffoldings, visited the different sets, and basically wished that her Spidey Senses would react so that she could have something beat up.

Seriously, just how inconsiderate _was_ Giles?

Turning the corner, she stopped straight when she saw Rachel Davenport standing in a circle of salt, peering at her surroundings through the screen of her phone's camera lens. A large container of salt was by her feet.

Shaking her head, the Slayer moved towards the bane of her existence. "What are you doing?"

"Giles said that salt protects you from spirits," Rachel replied as she continued to scan her surroundings. "I'm going to stay here and get proof that this place is haunted. _Then_ people will believe that what I saw was true!"

Rolling her eyes, Buffy finally moved to stand in front of her. "Look, the whole place is closed for a couple of days. Why don't you just go home and take this time to catch up on your tanning or something?"

Rachel sent her an ugly look before returning her gaze to the screen. "I'm not crazy. I _saw_ something. And I'm going to prove it." She made a little face. "Are, uh, you and Giles like a _thing_?"

Buffy opened her mouth to say yes, before frowning and folding her arms over her chest. "No. Not—not in the way you're asking, at least."

"But you want to be?"

"So what if I do?" Buffy asked, defiant, knowing her hostility towards the other girl was oozing from her pores and yet doing nothing to try and hide it.

"You're so lucky, he's so hot." Rachel gave a little sigh. "Do you know that the whole tour I gave him he found ways to talk about you?"

Buffy's defiance and hostility quickly began to melt into curiosity. "Really?"

"Do you know how hard it is to find a guy who doesn't just take one look at me and fall in lust?" Rachel bemoaned. "I have guys everywhere, I can't get rid of them, but they're all horny boys. Even the old ones like Preston are horny boys in old bodies." She gave a little shudder. "But Giles is so… _worldly_ … and he knows _so much_ … and he didn't look at my chest _once_!" She turned to Buffy in shock, as if this was the most incredible part of what she was saying. "When I saw you three I figured you were with the mountain, but I quickly realized my mistake." She pouted. "Why haven't you made a move on Giles? You were about to claw my eyes out earlier so obviously you're possessive of him."

Fighting the blush on her face, Buffy cleared her throat as she shifted her weight on her feet nervously. "We've known each other for so long… and he still sees me as a kid." She groaned. "And I still _act_ like a kid."

Rachel chuckled. "Then stop acting like a kid."

"Wow, _thanks_ Captain Obvious." And yet, even though she rolled her eyes, Buffy's hostility was gone. "He really talked about me while he was with you?"

"Nonstop. I'm still not sure how he managed to work you into each topic so seamlessly," Rachel muttered as she continued to scan their surroundings. "Look, take it from me, if you really like him you should make a move. He's totally hot and that accent is to die for. If you don't do something some other girl with less morals than me is going to come and make him forget all about you."

"I doubt they could," Buffy muttered. "I'm special." _I_ ** _am_** _the Slayer after all_.

Rachel laughed. "There's the spirit! Muster that confidence and have a long conversation with him."

Buffy thought it over. While now was definitely not the time (not with the possible Apocalypse and all) but afterwards she really might do what Rachel was telling her to. She was an adult now, and they weren't getting any younger. Plus, like Chloe had said a while back, as Slayer and her Watcher, she and Giles were basically married already.

"Muffy?" Rachel looked up from her screen and then down at it once more.

"It's _Buffy_." The strawberry blonde glared at the brunette.

"Whatever." Rachel's eyes widened. "Get inside the circle of salt. _Now_."

"What? Why?" And yet Buffy jumped into the circle of salt and stood next to the young actress.

"Because." Rachel tilted the screen so that Buffy could see the multitude of translucent bodies around them, drawing nearer. "We're surrounded."

* * *

Giles and Sam had settled into the sofa, viewing the various dailies Preston had in his trailer, hoping to find some other ghostly apparition in the frames, but five DVDs in and there were no ghosts. Not only had Sam been unable to detect anything out of place, but he'd ended up muting the volume (with Giles' consent) due to the poor dialogue delivery, which was getting on his nerves.

Then again, maybe Sam wasn't finding anything out of the ordinary because he was distracted by his multitude of questions regarding what could be happening between Chloe and Angel right now. Countless scenarios crossed his mind, and he found himself hoping Giles was paying closer attention to the dailies because he was missing full scenes with how distracted he was.

"Your mind seems to be somewhere else." Giles leaned back hard. "I assume you have other worries, especially given your family curse."

Pausing the video on the scene, shot over her shoulder as Rachel reading from an old book, Sam sighed and ran his hand down his face.

"I know that this might be awkward for you, but please know if you ever feel the need to go to an impartial third party for advice, I am here," Giles told him.

Suddenly Sam doubted Giles was talking about the family curse. "Should I step aside and let whatever happens - happen? He obviously still loves her if he is back."

Giles took a moment to answer. "If the world ended tomorrow, would you regret not having taken a chance? Would you regret just letting Angel take her back without having at least let her know how you truly feel about her?"

Sam took in a deep breath. "What about you? Buffy couldn't be more obvious if she put a sign on you." At Giles' flushed stammering, Sam sighed. "Oh come on, Giles. No one is _that_ oblivious. Buffy was clearly jealous - just like she was jealous of Jenny, and Kendra before her."

Shoulders sagging, Giles leaned forwards. "I am aware, yes. But I owe a responsibility to Buffy to be more than just… I am her Watcher. It is my sacred duty to protect her, not prey upon her."

"Prey?" Sam snickered. "You're both adults!"

"Yes, well, I am much more adult than she is," Giles replied in that no-nonsense way of his. "No other Slayer has ever been able to pass the mantel on to another Slayer while still being alive. Buffy has the unique opportunity to live a long, normal life. She should settle down with a nice young man who has no ties to this world, and live like any other girl her age."

Sam motioned around him at the haunted studio they were in. "Whether she's the Slayer of an active Hellmouth of not, Buffy doesn't gravitate towards 'normal'."

"She once did."

"Who of us are who we used to be before the Hellmouth got in our veins? Hell, we're not even close to being the same people we were even a year ago!" Sam paused for a second as he realized just how true his words were. "I think you owe it to the both of you to not dismiss what's happening here just because it makes you feel guilty."

Giles frowned and opened his mouth before he froze and gazed passed Sam at the screen. "What the bloody hell?" He stood. "Unmute this!"

Doing as told, Sam put the unmuted clip to play. "What is it?"

On screen, Rachel read from the book.

And then, actually paying attention to the words, Sam realized what he should've hours ago. "That's a real spell. It's a butchered version, but definitely some sort of summoning spell."

"The _imbecile_!" Giles turned to Sam. "I'm going to kill him."

"But why would Preston call us in to investigate a haunting _he_ created?" Sam couldn't wrap his head around that one.

"Let's ask him," Giles grumbled as he stormed towards the door.

* * *

They'd spoken about possible Apocalypses, and Angel had promised to get them some rare manuscripts on the Hellmouth. That was good and all, but they hadn't talked about 'them' and Chloe didn't know how she felt about that. On one hand - why was he back? On the other - was she truly prepared to find out?

"This place can't be that comfortable to live in," she observed, finding the underground quarters to be cold and unwelcoming.

"It does the soul good to go without sometimes," he replied. "Plus, I don't care about creature comforts."

Somewhat annoyed, Chloe raised an eyebrow. " _You_ are a creature of comfort."

"No, I'm not," Angel responded instantly, tersely. " _Angelus_ is."

"You _are_ Angelus. Just with inhibitions and morals!" Chloe couldn't get how he still could be in such deep denial.

"No. I'm not. Angelus and I are _completely different people_. How can you - of all people - not realize that?" He snapped defensively.

"You know what? You're right. Angelus was never one to beat around the bush." She hugged herself. "Why are you here, Angel? Why are you back? And don't hedge the question this time."

The vampire's gaze lowered as he took in a deep breath. "I'm not here to beg for your forgiveness or try to win you back."

It took all of Chloe's self-control to not let it show just how much that answer had devastated her. "Obviously not." She raised her chin. "So why _are_ you here?"

Angel took in a deep breath once more. "As Angelus I put you in one horrible situation after the other. If I have to spend the rest of my unlife finding a way to somehow make up for what he did—if I can help—."

She didn't hear the rest of that. Everything around her faded into white noise as nausea bubbled up her throat. He felt guilty, that was all. She was yet another thing he had to repent about, had to redeem himself for. Like with Dru and Spike, Angel looked at her and saw something good which Angelus had molded and twisted into an abomination. She remembered how he'd talked about what Angelus had done to Dru and Spike, how horrified and ashamed of Angelus' creations he was. She was yet another black mark against the soul. Another regret.

 _I'm going to be sick_.

"—I know that I can never atone for what Angelus did to you, but—."

"Stop." She couldn't be here. Not now. Maybe not ever. "I'm sorry that you're so disgusted with the person I am now—."

"I'm not saying—!"

"—but I am not apologizing for adapting, for surviving, for evolving." She raised a hand and silenced him when he would've interrupted her. "Bring the books to Sam's and leave them there. Don't knock. Don't come in."

"Chloe—," Angel's voice broke.

"Thank you for your help, Angel. I'll have the books returned to you when we're done going over them." Turning around, she walked back the way she'd come, slowly enough as to not appear as if she was running away… slowly enough that he could've caught up to her easily had he wished to.

He didn't.

It was hard not to run, to keep her pace steady as she walked down the dimly lit path back to where the exit was. She stepped into the fading light as the sun slowly began its trek towards the horizon.

A tear escaped her eye but she wiped it away rebelliously and continued to walk away from the abandoned warehouse with her head held high. Thoughts of Hellhounds were far from her mind, her dignity lay it tatters inside of her and she was barely holding on. The blonde concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right.

 _Don't cry. Don't breakdown. Be strong. Please don't cry_.

* * *

"I don't know what's gotten into you today," Dean hummed happily as they pulled away from yet another kiss at the doorway. "But if it's something I've done _please_ let me know so I can repeat it, often."

"No cheating." Cordelia pulled him in close and kissed him deeply. She let their lips part and stared up into his eyes. "I love you."

Dean's grin grew. " _I_ love _you_."

Telling herself not to cry, to prove to the world that she would've been a first-class actress, she smiled brightly and pushed him away. "No go get me my pie!"

"Yes ma'am!" Saluting, Dean winked and hurried towards his vehicle.

Leaning in the doorway, Cordelia hugged herself and watched him as he got in and started the engine, returning his wave when he sent one before taking off. Only when his car rounded the bend and was out of sight did Cordelia close her eyes and let the tears begin to fall. " _Goodbye Dean._ " She hugged herself as her voice broke. " _I love you_."

* * *

"Where the blue blazes _are_ you?" Giles snarled into the phone. "You have a lot to explain, Preston! You're killing innocent people!"

Sam frowned as he followed after the older man but stopped when he felt a gust of cold wind inside of the closed set.

"Yes you are! We _know_ , Preston! There's no need to hide anymore!" Giles growled. "We know about the spell you wrote into the movie! The one which summons spirits of people unlucky in love to—!" Giles sputtered. "Don't be ridiculous! I'm not foolish enough to believe that sto—." He skidded to a stop. "Are you serious?" He shook his head. "I refuse to believe that your knowledge of dead languages is that deplorable! You survived a full year at the Watcher's Academy for god's sake!" He turned to Sam, looking utterly disgusted. "It's supposed to be a love spell."

That caught Sam's attention. " _What_?"

Giles put the phone call on speaker.

Preston's voice was confused and hysteric. "—never paid any attention to me so I thought - why not use my knowledge to get a little bit of an advantage over these idiots here? She has to read it all the time, the spell has got to stick! Tons of people have died unloved in this industry, so I figured that energy would make the spell more potent! She'd fall head over heels in love with me and—."

"Wait," Sam interrupted. "You tried to spell Rachel into falling in love with you? That's creepy, man!"

"That's not _creepy_ , it's _desperate_!" Preston defended himself passionately.

"It sure is," Giles muttered darkly. "Instead of trying to force that young girl to fall in love with you, you've endangered her and everyone else here!"

"You don't understand my situation, Rupert! You've never had problems with the ladies! Not when you we were in the Academy, and not now either! That gorgeous Slayer is totally hot for your stick! And you wear _tweed_! TWEED, RUPERT! You don't have my fashion sense! My fame! My money! But you always get the girls and _that's not fair_!"

"Oh _grow up_!" Giles snapped into the receiver. "You're going to tell me what the anchor for the spell is and we're going to try and figure out a way of ending this spell without someone else dying!"

"You can't do that, Rupe. She's almost there, I can feel it. Rachel seeks me out more. I just have to hold out for a little bit longer!"

"People are _dying_ , Preston!"

"I don't care!" And with that, he hung up.

Giles turned to Sam. "We have to find Buffy and get out of here before something happens. We can regroup elsewhere while we figure out what to do."

Sam opened his mouth to agree when the sound of a girl screaming echoed back towards them.

The men shared a look, and, as one, raced in that direction.

* * *

"What are we going to do?" Rachel wanted to know, voice tinted with hysteria as each shift of the camera found more and more ghosts surrounding the circle of salt that they found themselves trapped in. "The set's closed, I don't know if anyone was even around to hear me yelling for help."

"How do I fight these things if I can't even seen them?" Buffy asked herself as she tried to formulate some sort of plan. "I don't even know if I can touch them!"

" _Fight_ them?" Rachel squeaked. "What are you talking about? We have to find a way to get away from here!"

"BUFFY!" Giles' voice echoed as footsteps drew near loudly.

Buffy stared up in horror as she saw Giles and Sam appearing. "BE CAREFUL! THERE ARE GHOSTS EVERYWHERE! WE CAN ONLY SEE THEM THROUGH THE LENS OF A CAMERA!"

Giles stumbled to a stop and reached into his pocket, no doubt to pull out his phone.

Sam on the other hand, held his arm up, palms towards Buffy and Rachel, feet planted firmly on the ground. He seemed to be gathering resolve, or something, as he finally spoke, his voice deeper than usual when he yelled out: " _Obscurate nos non diutius_!" Even from this distance, Chloe could see Sam's eyes darkening, the pupils widening as magic exploded outwards from him as if a bomb had been detonated, and as each ripple spread out, ghostly figures began to appear all around them, proving that there were close to fifty ghosts separating Buffy and Rachel from the guys.

Giles turned to look at Sam in surprise as the ghosts did the same.

"Stay here," Buffy ordered Rachel as she dove out of the ring of salt, sailing through the bodies of the ghosts and tumbling on the ground before pushing up to her feet, standing between the men and the ghosts. "So… I _can't_ touch them." She glanced over her shoulder at Sam. "Any ideas of what is going on?"

"Preston messed up a love spell aimed at…" Giles peered over at Rachel before his gaze returned to Buffy. "This is the result."

"A _love_ spell?" Buffy squeaked in confusion " _How_ is this even remotely—?" She shook her head. "Never mind that. How do I fight these things? I can't touch them but they can touch me."

As the ghosts began the advance, Sam looked around them before clearing his throat. "I have an idea… but I'm going to need some help… and protection."

"Guys!" Rachel yelled as she threw the container of salt through the ghosts' midst.

As soon as the container fell into Giles' hands he poured some into his hand and tossed it out towards the ghosts, causing them to flicker and disperse. "We've bought ourselves a couple of seconds." He began to create a larger circle around the three of them. "What's the plan?"

Sam turned to Giles. "The Blessing of Shamash."

"Blessing of Shamash?" Giles frowned in thought before his eyes widened. "It could work! At least buy us some time."

"What the Blessing of Shamish?" Buffy wanted to know as she glanced between them.

"It's a spell that will shield you from magical damage," Giles replied immediately. "The problem is that the spell needs to be continuously chanted to maintain the effects, and with so many ghosts attacking you it will take both of us to keep it up."

"Why haven't we used this Blessing of Shamish before?" Buffy wanted to know. "It sounds awesome!"

"It's draining on the caster," Giles replied. "If kept up for long it could seriously injure the caster. Even with the two of us… I don't know how long we can hold it up before it starts to affect us aversely."

Buffy immediately frowned and nodded. "I get it. Kick ass in record timing."

All around them, ghosts began to flicker back to life.

Buffy took in a deep breath and cracked her knuckles.

* * *

"You're in danger!"

Coming to a halted stop right before she would've crossed the road, Chloe glanced over her shoulder, surprised to find that those words _had_ been aimed at her. She turned her back on the crosswalk and frowned as the petite brunette gripped her bag and hurried towards her, looking out of breath and flushed. "Excuse me?"

"I know this is going to sound _insane,_ but please listen to me, I'm a hundred per cent serious. I'm not insane and I'm not on drugs. I'm normal. And this is _way way_ ** _way_** off the map for me." She cleared her throat, clearly nervous. "I—I get these _migraines_ … and when I do… I _see_ things."

Chloe glanced around her in wariness, wondering if this was some sort of joke, or trap, but there didn't seem to be anyone around who was watching. In fact, given the abandoned part of town they were in, there was no one at all. " _Christo_."

"Huh?" The brunette asked in confusion, eyes remaining human.

Okay, so she wasn't one of Azazel's people, and the fact that there was still sunlight in the sky meant she couldn't be a vampire either. That didn't mean she wasn't psycho or out to get Chloe either though, so the blonde kept a cautious eye on her. "What's your gameplan?"

"Gameplan?" The girl asked in confusion. "I don't… understand." She then shook her head and took in a deep breath. "I keep seeing you. I thought I was going insane. I thought… I thought you were some unconscious manifestation of my uncertainties, or that what I was seeing was early onset schizophrenia or something. But then I won that ticket at my office to come here, and then I got lost, and then I look up while having a minor freak-out about going missing in an unknown city… and _here you are_! You're real! You're alive! _You're not something my mind's made up_!" She laughed nervously before suddenly frowning. "Oh boy. What if—what if you actually _are_ a figment of my imagination and my psychosis has just progressed and gotten worse?" She gripped her hair tightly, fear in her every feature. "The stress of getting lost could've triggered a full-blown freak out! I could be talking to myself in the middle of this place, ready to get mugged!"

The brunette was clearly close to losing her marbles. If she was some big bad she was doing a really good job of hiding it.

Chloe reached out and placed her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Breathe in. Breathe out. Good. What's your name?"

"Ava Wilson," the girl squeaked.

"Okay, Ava, I'm Chloe. I need you to try and calm down, and when you do I need you to start all over again. Tell me about these things you've been seeing."

"Oh. Ah. Uhm. Okay." Ava breathed in, breathed out, breathed in, breathed out, and nodded as she tried once more. "About a year ago I started having these headaches and nightmares, I guess, and I didn't really think much about it until I had this one dream where this guy gets stabbed in a parking lot. A couple of days later, I found this. I keep it on me to remind myself that I can't be crazy… I-I can't be." She reached into her bag and rumbled through it before pulling out a newspaper cut out, handing it out to Chloe. "I saw this guy's murder days before it happened! I don't know why! I don't…. For some reason my dreams are coming true, and uh, I dream about others… but the one constant is _you_."

"You see me die?" Chloe asked softly.

"No." Ava gulped and shook her head rapidly. "You don't die."

And yet, the look on Ava's face made it seem as if whatever she'd seen was far worse than death ever could be.

Chloe narrowed her eyes and steeled herself as she asked: "Ava… What do you see?"

Ava looked around her and took in a couple of deep, rapid breaths, tears filling her eyes. "I see all hell break loose."

* * *

"Gurumeh ninginmeh, nugulgulah, gurumeh ninginmeh, chehmeh dulduleh." Sam and Giles chanted, hands held.

"Why am I calling Preston?" Rachel yelled as she held her phone to her ear. "I don't understand my part in this plan!"

The men ignored her and continued to chant. "Gurumeh ninginmeh, nugulgulah, gurumeh ninginmeh, chehmeh dulduleh."

Buffy weaved in and out amongst the ghost bodies, dodging blows where she could, hoping to minimize the trauma to Sam and Giles as they continued to imbue her with protection. Her hits were suddenly landing, she wasn't sure how or why given the fact that the two spells used had been to make the ghosts visible - and to protect her - but she didn't question it. Maybe it was a Slayer thing when enhanced with magic. Whatever. Best not to look the gift horse in the mouth and take what was given to her.

But no matter how many times she kicked, or punched, or threw these ghosts around, they'd just shake it off and come back at her with renewed fury, attacking her more and more viciously, which in turn added more and more strain on Giles and Sam.

What could she do? She needed to figure out what Preston was using to anchor the spell and break it. Was it the book that the spell had been read off of? No. That wouldn't make any sense. The book was a prop, it wasn't real, it didn't hold any actual power. But if Rachel was the intended target, then whatever was the anchor would be close to her. Buffy mightn't have paid too much attention to the lectures Giles had given her on magic, but she remembered watching Sam and Chloe practicing together and could remember that little rule if not much else.

So what could—?

"He's not answering!" Rachel yelled, clutching her necklace tightly. "What do I do? Is there a Plan B?"

Buffy's eyes widened as a memory flashed before her eyes.

 _"T-that's a pretty necklace," Giles stammered. "Flourite, isn't it?"_

 _Rachel glanced down at the pendant curiously. "I'm not sure. Pres gave it to me, said it's something my character would wear, so since I'm all into method acting I never take it off." She tilted her gaze up at him. "Why do you ask?"_

 _"Well, Flourite is a fascinating stone," the Watcher assured her as he cleared his throat. "Amongst other things, it focuses the will."_

 _"Does it now?" Rachel leaned so that her chest was pressed against Giles' arm._

"It's the necklace." Buffy turned towards Rachel. "Throw me the necklace!"

"My necklace?" Rachel glanced down at the pendant. " _Why_?"

"It's the anchor!" Buffy hurried towards the actress in the salt ring. "We have to destroy it! Unless we do these—!" She screamed as suddenly the ghosts, as if understanding what was about to happen, all converged on her at once like linebackers. Buffy fought, she kicked, punched, and tried to claw herself out of the pile of ghosts forcing her down on the ground, suffocating her, but she couldn't.

The last thing she saw before the bodies completely covered her view was blood trickling down Sam and Giles' nostrils.

Suddenly an explosion of power exploded outwards, piercing through the ghosts, who flickered and they disappeared, leaving Buffy lying on her back on the ground. The Slayer looked around her in confusion before she turned to see Rachel's neck bare. "What—?"

She then turned her head to see Sam's hand outstretched out of the circle. Black circled through the veins of his hand, the chain of Rachel's necklace falling downwards. When he opened his hand the Flourite sprinkled down in sparkling dust.

"Is it over?" Rachel asked as she looked around her worriedly. "Are they gone?"

"They're free, no longer trapped and forced to—." Giles' eyes widened. " _Preston_."

Just then, Preston's screams begging for help could be heard.

* * *

Joyce Summers paid the taxi man a little extra for bringing her numerous and heavy luggage right to Rupert Giles' door. She waved to him as he drove away, and then turned and knocked on the door only for no one to stir inside. Well, she was a little earlier than she'd told Buffy she would be.

Sighing, Joyce sat down on the Watcher's front step and leaned against the large container containing her husband. "Don't worry, Ted, Chloe and Sam will fix you." With a kiss to the container, Joyce took in a deep breath and sighed.

* * *

"Babe, you're not going to believe it." Dean kicked the door closed behind him as he entered the apartment, bags of food in his hand. "They didn't have cherry pie, so I had to—." He frowned when he realized that the television was off, and the apartment completely silent. That wasn't like Cordelia. "Babe? Where are you?"

Dropping the bags on the door, Dean took a step further into the apartment before he saw an envelope on the table by the entry. It was crisp and white and had his name written on it in Cordelia's fancy cursive.

Heart dropping into his stomach, finding it hard to breathe, Dean reached for the envelope and ripped it open, pulling out the letter addressed to him within.

* * *

Sam watched the ambulance take Preston's body away, the EMTs they'd called said they believed the man had had a heart attack. That seemed like a karmic retribution if any. He'd unknowingly used the ghosts' broken hearts against them - and they, in turn, broken _his_ heart once free. A part of Sam disbelieved that Preston had managed to do all of this accidentally, and yet, if it had been on purpose, why would he bring them in to investigate it? This one was forever going to remain a mystery.

He glanced over where Buffy was talking to Rachel, clearly comforting the girl, and then glanced to where Giles was reporting the event to the Watcher's Council, his side of the phone conversation clearly tense.

Taking in a deep breath, Sam felt his phone vibrating in his pocket and reached in, pulling it out to find that Dean was calling. He answered it immediately. "You're not going to believe what happened."

"She left me, Sammy." Dean's voice was soft, lost.

" _What?"_ Sam frowned in confusion. "What are you talking?"

Dean's voice was scratchy and filled with suppressed emotion as he whispered: "Cordelia's gone."

* * *

 **TBC**


	9. Doppelgangland

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Based _very_ loosely on Doppelgangland

* * *

"So, you and your boyfriend live here?" Ava asked as she glanced around the apartment. "I imagined something different. Something, I don't know, more Apocalyptic-y."

"Sam's not my boyfriend." Chloe had, in an effort to give her nervous hands something to do, begun folding the clothes she'd washed the other day as she talked with the psychic who had apparently witnessed a future in which the blonde brought hell to earth.

"What is he, then?" Ava wanted to know curiously. "He's always in my visions of you, you live together, and given how vastly different your looks and sizes are I doubt you're related. So what is he?"

Chloe opened her mouth only to close it seconds later, not sure what an honest answer would be to that question anymore. They were more than friends, more than co-workers, they were closer to family but it was different. They weren't lovers but there was mutual attraction. There was also the fact that while she was the conduit for the powers of the Sunnydale Hellmouth, he was _her_ conduit… or able to tap into the energy… or _something_.

"I get it." Ava nodded sagely. "I've been there, done that myself." She leaned in closer. "You don't know exactly _what_ he is, huh?"

"It's complicated," Chloe assured her.

"Anything to do with men is," Ava sympathized as she rubbed her head with a wince. "Can't live with them, can't live without."

Chloe paused when she felt something hard in Sam's shirt. She'd been sure she'd gotten rid of everything in his pockets but apparently she'd missed something. She reached into the pocket and pulled out something hard and burnt. It was a little smaller than the round of her was some sort of metal or something, and it'd once had some sort of carving on each side, but she couldn't make out what the symbols had been.

" _No_!" Ava gripped at her head. "Not again!"

Chloe glanced up in time to see Ava slip from the sofa onto her knees, a cry of pain erupting from her. "Ava? What's happened?" She dropped the shirt and hurried towards the fallen brunette. Right before Chloe touched Ava she felt the Hellmouth energy warn her, but she was too late to stop herself, her fingers resting upon Ava's shoulders. Immediately power erupted from within her, but instead of rushing towards Ava (as she'd expected) the Hellmouth energy within her broke free and sought the coin.

In seconds Hellmouth energy erupted around them in a living blanket, and then all was darkness.

* * *

"So, you a big Billie Idol fan?"

Those were the first words out of Lucy's sister's mouth and already Spike could see why Kal wanted to kill her. He'd agreed to this dinner out of pure curiosity, wondering just how a mere human could rattle the "Last Son of Krypton" the way she did, and he was already contemplating eating her. He glanced over at Lucy, wondering what his chances were of getting away with it, but the tiny brunette was eyeing him warningly with a death grip on her chopsticks.

Okay. _Fine_. He could play nice.

"That bollocks copied _me_ ," Spike informed the bint like one might a stupid child.

"Considering the age difference, I'd say you copied him," Lois Lane replied. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery _that mediocrity can pay to greatness_. Oscar Wilde." Spike glared at the expression of shock on Kal's face. "I _read_." He turned his attention back to Lois. "So you, you little bint, have just insulted me. Do you know how stupid that is?"

" _Spike_ ," Lucy growled at him in warning.

"My god, is it your time of the month or something?" Lois rolled her eyes, not at all worried like she should be. "Get your panties out of a bunch. I happen to _like_ the whole 80's London aesthetics. It's really… punk rock glam. Plus, not a lot of guys could pull it off, you do though." She eyed him. "It's the cheekbones." She leaned in close. "Do you contour or are they this defined naturally? I normally don't ask guys if they use makeup, but from your black fingernails you obviously don't mind cosmetics."

Spike had no idea how in the world to handle this girl without outright killing her. "Are you always this bloody annoying?"

"Yes!" Lois grinned brightly. "I'm always this opinionated, too."

Spike turned his gaze on Kal, who mouthed: ' _I told you so_ '. The vampire groaned and shook his head. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Where are we?" Ava asked as her hands fell to her sides in shock and she pushed up from her knees to her feet.

Chloe gave a little twirl, confusion deep within her. "I have no idea." Pocketing the thing she'd taken from Sam's pocket, the blonde looked around the grand living room. "But I'd love to live in a place like this one day."

"Who wouldn't?" Ava muttered as she went towards a table covered in framed photographs. "Um, Chloe? You know how you said you'd like to live in a place like this one day?"

"Yeah?" Chloe glanced over her shoulder at her.

"I think you _do_." Ava picked up one of the picture frames and showed it to her. "Or at least you know someone who does."

Moving towards the brunette, Chloe took the frame from her. In it she saw herself wearing a silky white dress and leaning with her head against Sam's side, his arm around her shoulders and his grin large. Dean was also in the picture, making a mischievous face as he gave both Lois and some other brunette bunny ears. On Chloe's side was a petite caramel skinned girl with black, wavy hair and hazel eyes who raised an eyebrow at the camera as if saying: the things I do for these people.

Passing the picture back to Ava, Chloe turned towards the other frames, finding pictures of her and Sam, as well as other pictures of those in that first picture. In addition, though, there was one with Kal and Lucy, who were trading grins with Spike and Drusilla, and then there was another picture of a redhead and dark haired man kissing.

"Where the hell are we?" Chloe asked softly.

Suddenly the door flung open and the redhead in the picture stormed in. "I sensed a great disturbance. What happened?" Veins of black darkened on her face as she held her palm out towards Ava, energy coursing through her fingers visibly. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I don't know!" Ava threw her hands up immediately. "Don't hurt me!"

"Hey hey hey!" Chloe threw herself between Ava and the redhead. "Look, uh, I don't know your name but from those pictures we seem to be friends… or friendly… or something."

The redhead's eyes widened on her, and then narrowed on Ava behind you. " _What have you done to her_?"

"I didn't do anything!" Ava wailed. "I swear!"

Red's face suddenly darkened as she turned her attention back to Chloe. "You're blocking me. _Why_?" She staggered slightly. "Is this a punishment? Did Xander do something?"

"What?" Chloe asked as she stared at the redhead. "I'm blocking you because you look like you're about to do something bad to Ava, and I need her in one piece."

"Why?" The redhead wanted to know. "Isn't she a White Hat?"

"White—?" Chloe shook her head. "Look, this is going to sound very weird, but what date is it?" When the redhead told her the exact date, Chloe confirmed it was the same as the day she'd been with Ava in Sam's apartment. "So this isn't the future… Can you tell me where we are?"

The redhead frowned darker. "Your home."

"My home." Chloe glanced around her, remembering that just seconds ago she'd wished to live in a place like this. "Thing is, I _don't_ have a home, I'm kind of staying with a friend… I'm between homes, you know? I'd remember this place if I bought it or was given it or whatever." She cleared her throat. "And where exactly is this home located? What part of the world is it in?"

"How can you be so calm about this?" Ava hissed.

Chloe and the redhead ignored the brunette.

"Sunnydale," the other woman replied slowly.

"Sunnydale?" Chloe frowned darker, growing more worried. "Why would I come back to live here?"

"Come back—?" The redhead frowned. "You've never left."

"Never left?" Chloe echoed those words as she once more reached for a frame and stared at it, stared at the people she didn't know in a picture she didn't remember taking. "Maybe… an alternate timeline?" She eyed the redhead curiously. "One in which, for some reason, I didn't leave with Angel when he lost his soul?"

"Are you _serious_?" Ava squeaked in surprise. "Are alternate timelines _real_?"

"Quantum physics—," Chloe began.

" _Oh no_ ," the redhead whispered, seeming absolutely terrified. "It's happening again. This time to _you_." She pulled out a phone and began dialing, speaking the second someone answered. "I've found her…. At the house… She's _fine_ …" She glanced over at Chloe in obvious worry, the dark veins slowly disappearing from her face. "Listen, this is important. Remember what happened to you a little while back? The whole thing where you thought this was an alternate reality or one made up by some sort of wish or something?… I _know_ **you** don't remember it, but we **_told_** you—that's not important!" She ran fingers through her chin-length red hair. "What matters is that it's happened again. This time to Chloe. But she's not alone. She's with some mousy brunette."

" _Excuse me_?" Ava gasped in insult.

"Just get here." Hanging up, the redhead turned to face Chloe once more. "I don't know what's going on, but I guess I have to introduce myself to you. I'm Willow, you call me Red." She motioned to her red hair. "I'm one of the Master's prodigy witches, I'm also part of the inner circle you allow to tap in and use your energy."

Chloe froze in horror. "The Master's alive?"

" _Undead_ , but yes," Willow answered. "When you disappeared he sent all his minions out to search for you. We were all incredibly worried. Even though we've won against the White Hats, things aren't—."

The door flew open and Chloe somehow knew. She looked up and her gaze met Sam's. Relief filled her because, alternate reality or not, this was Sam and he—he was suddenly in front of her—and he was—his lips—he was—! Chloe's eyes widened as Sam's arms wrapped around her tightly, positively lifting her off of her feet as he kissed her with an intensity that left her shocked and breathless. She could feel the energy inside of her, the one she had little to no control over anymore, reacting immediately, exploding and coursing throughout her body to settle in her fingers and toes with warm tingles.

* * *

 **NORMAL TIMELINE**

Lucy Lane dragged Spike away from the living room (and her sister) by his shirt. She glared behind them at Kal and mouthed that he better keep her sister occupied if he knew what was good for him, and within seconds had Spike out of hearing and around the corner. Immediately she turned to him with a glare. "If you _try_ to bite her again when her back's turned to you you're going to wake up in a pile of dust!"

"How can you _tolerate_ her?" Spike bemoaned as he threw his hands in the air. "How does Kal do it? She's positively torturous! And not in a **good** way!" He shuddered. "She said I reminded her of Kiefer Sutherland in _Lost Boys_!"

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "No killing my sister!"

Spike glared and folded his arms over his chest, completely put upon.

* * *

 **ALT TIMELINE**

"So… you and I…?" Chloe hugged herself as she kept her back to him and instead peered at a black silk bed in what was a room worthy of a Queen. The decoration was interesting, all sorts of sigils and symbols were burnt in the walls, and there were artifacts from multiple different ancient cultures all around the bed. "We've been together for a while?"

"Since high school," Sam answered, incredibly patient with the millions of questions she'd piled on him the second he'd excused them to the room so he could 'check her' - which constituted him running his glowing hands over her whole body. "We got together soon after Dean and I found out that Buffy was the Slayer. That's why we weren't at the Bronze when the Harvest happened, and is probably the only reason we're still alive now."

Peering over her shoulder, Chloe eyed him as he leaned in the doorway. "So we didn't stop the Harvest." Okay, things were making sense. This was an alternate timeline in which things had changed because they hadn't stopped the Harvest and the Master had arisen earlier than he had in her timeline. Everything from the moment the master had arisen would've been completely different from how it had happened for her, and had somehow ended up with Chloe dating Sam Winchester and not Angel.

"I don't understand what whoever is doing this expects to get out of this," Sam whispered in clear frustration, having found nothing amiss during his 'check'. "This happened before. I just blanked out and thought things were different, that the Master hadn't arisen and that you were some guy with a girlish name like Cherub or something like that. I was sure that a spell or something had happened, or that I was under some weird dream curse. I don't remember any of that. All I know is that one minute I'm fine, and the next everyone is telling me about all the things that happened while I was… I suppose I can call it… trapped in my own subconscious?"

The thing in Chloe's pocket nearly burned. Sam. _Her_ Sam, had come here. Why hadn't he told her about this or what had happened? Why had he kept it a secret?

"So Angel didn't come to Sunnydale in this timeline," Chloe whispered as she sat down in understanding. "It makes sense now. Angel is the one who warned us that the Harvest was coming, so if he wasn't around we would've been unprepared for it… and this future would've happened." She let out a stuttered breath. "Wow. You know, with everything that's happened in our lives it's hard enough to keep up with the present, I never really stopped and wonder how things might've ended up if we hadn't managed to avert one of our many disasters."

"Chloe, someone did this to you, okay? It's definitely the same people who did it to me." Sam sat next to her on the edge of the bed. "We're going to figure out how to fix you, like I was, and everything will be fine." He cupped her cheek. "As soon as you accept that this is the truth things will come together, it's what I believe happened to me."

"But it's not," Chloe informed him as she turned to face him on the bed. "I know it's hard for you to believe, but I'm not _your_ Chloe. I'm the Chloe from the timeline where the Harvest was averted. I'm the Chloe who dated Angel in high school and got kidnapped by him when he lost his soul and spent a couple of years in Europe with him and Spike and Drusilla as their well-kept hostage."

"No, look, I was confused like that too," Sam denied with a shake of his head. "It'll come back to you. Okay? The White Hats are just-."

"No, look, Angel-."

" _You killed Angel_!"

Chloe's eyes widened as she froze in horror. _What_?

Sam sighed and ran his hand over his face. "I don't remember it, it was during – from what I've been told you and the others captured this vampire who was trying to fool you into believing he had a soul." He licked his lips. "I wasn't there, but Bette was, and she says that he was working for the White Hats. You got information out of him, and then you killed him."

Tears filled Chloe's eyes as she stared at Sam in mute horror. The Chloe of this timeline had killed her corresponding Angel? And after an interrogation? She and Angel had been working on _opposing sides_? But why? This didn't make any sense! What was going _on_ in this timeline? Why had the Master arising earlier caused things to change so monumentally?

And yet, while she wanted to ask more on this topic, it wouldn't help her. No. There were more pressing things to consider. _Her_ timeline's Angel was alive and well, and that was all that mattered. This timeline was different, and that meant that these versions of her and her friends could know things that those from Chloe's own timeline did not know. And that was all that mattered right now.

"Are there people who can tap into me against my will here?" Wiping at her eyes, Chloe cleared her throat and steeled herself. "Like you can?"

Sam frowned as he eyed her thoughtfully. "I'm your Conduit, I'm the only one with a connection that's always open, but there _are_ others who have the ability to use the Hellmouth energy to strengthen their magic, yes, like Red and Bette."

This was the second time she'd heard that name. "Who is Bette?"

Sam's eyes widened for a second before he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, bringing up a picture of Chloe grinned with her arms around a petite olive skinned girl with hazel eyes and dark curls. She was the same younger girl from the picture in the living room. "This is Bette. She's a Special Child like Red and I are, but she's Next Gen."

"Special Child?" Chloe leaned forwards, eyes wide. "What do you mean _Special Child_?"

"They've really done a number on you," Sam whispered as he brushed her hair out of her face. "Baby, Special Children are the people Azazel experimented on when they were infants, feeding them his own blood to make them a mixture between Animus demon and human." He brought his hand to his chest. "I'm a half Animus demon, half human."

Chloe's eyes widened, her heart banging painfully against her ribcage. "Dean too?"

"No." Sam shook his head. "Dean's a vampire."

Chloe nearly slid off of the bed in utter shock, but like with Angel she pushed that revelation out of her mind and didn't let it distract her from what really mattered. "What was the purpose of making Special Children?"

"We're not actually sure," Sam admitted. "A lot of us were hunted down by a group of White Hats formed by some guy my dad used to know, Gordon Walker. It took us a while to figure out the connection and save the ones we could, but most were murdered in Walker's two Purge campaigns. In the end Bette, Red and I are the only ones still around. One is your bodyguard, and the other works under Spike to keep an eye on things there for you... and I'm your Conduit."

Filing all that down in her mind under MUST REMEMBER, Chloe nodded and told herself to make sure to get Red and Bette's names in full for future use. "I think Ava's a Special Child… and I've met three others… Andy, Webber and Max. Andy and Webber could make people do whatever they wanted, and Max was telekinetic." She took in a deep breath and was about to ask more about this when suddenly she realized something. "If we've been together since high school… have we broken your family curse?"

There was clear hesitation before Sam nodded. "In a manner of speaking, yes."

"What do you mean: in a manner of speaking?" Chloe moved closer, just as desperate for these answers as she'd been to know about the Special Children and their purpose.

Sam cleared his throat. "Well… the curse is only, uh, active while you're _alive_ … so when Dean died and became a vampire it basically nullified the curse for him."

Chloe's eyes widened in shock. "What about for _you_?" She narrowed her eyes. "You're still alive, right?"

"Yeah, of course I am." Sam licked his lips, clearly nervous and uneasy right now. "But it's, uh, it's a little different for me."

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. " _Why_? How?"

Sam cleared his throat. "Well, honey, how much do you remember about yourself?"

Her eyes narrowed even further. "I'm the Conduit of Hellmouth energies who is unable to control the power inside of me and everywhere I go the Hellmouth energy starts to leak, or I channel some unknown Hellmouth close by, and basically create a small Hellmouth wherever I am that draws the attention of demons everywhere because they're confused because they know no Hellmouth energy should be around. I was raised by Gabe Sullivan but he's not my father, I don't know who my real father was, the Master said it was him but that was actually a lie. My mother was doing some really dark magic when I was conceived so my father could be anyone's guess, but he probably wasn't a really nice guy given who she was hanging out with at the time. Also… uh… Azazel knows more than he's letting on about who I am and stuff that are about to happen."

"Right." Sam cleared his throat once more. "Chloe, that's not exactly true."

She froze. "Which part?"

Sam opened his mouth.

The door flew open, and Red was there, eyes narrowed. "Sorry for interrupting, but the Ava girl is withering on the ground in agony. I don't know what's going on. I think she's being attacked. It could be by the same person who did this to Chloe."

Sharing a look, Sam and Chloe pushed off of the bed and hurried behind Red.

* * *

 **NORMAL TIMELINE**

"I've been wondering how long it would take you to come and visit."

Sam hated feeling predictable, but kept his mouth shut as he emerged from the dark tunnel to the cellar where Angel had taken up residence since he'd returned. The place was a piece of shit, and considering Sam knew for a fact Angel could afford better he realized this was something akin to Catholic Guilt. Angel was, in his own way, trying to pay penance for all that he'd done, and part of that was by depriving himself of things like a decent place to stay in.

"Sorry, I don't have more comfortable seating." Angel motioned to a stool before leaning against the wall.

"I'll stay standing, thanks." Sam glanced around the dingy place. "What do you know about family curses?"

The surprise on Angel's face was bright and genuine. "Excuse me?"

"The Winchester men were cursed so that any woman they loved would die in a horrible way," Sam replied. "Cordelia's time was running out… She just left Dean and he's… he's destroyed." He let out a sigh. "Have you ever heard of any sort of similar generational curse and a way to get rid of it?"

Angel stared at Sam in confusion. "I thought you'd come here to tell me off for coming back – that you were here to yell at me for what Angelus did to you and Chloe." He took in a deep breath. "I've been waiting for you to do that."

"Well, that's not what I'm here for," Sam muttered with a deep breath of his own. "Look. You and Chloe have issues, but they're between the two of you and I have no place getting mixed in that." He licked his lips. "And if you want to make up for what Angelus did to me, then help me break this curse so my brother can get back the only woman he's ever loved."

Angel stared at him before he lowered his head and exhaled. "Do you have more info on this curse? Like who put it on the men of your family?"

Sam nodded. "Dean and I finally got information out of our father – it was like pulling teeth though to be honest – but we have it. It's at my home."

Shoulders rising and lowering in a deep breath, Angel looked up at Sam and held out his hand. "I'll help you break the curse on your family."

Staring at that hand, Sam waited a split second before placing his hand in Angel's. While it was best for him if Angel had no reason to stick around, Sam put his brother's needs before his own. "Welcome back to Team Scooby, Angel."

* * *

 **ALT TIMELINE**

Ava curled up in a ball on the ground, holding her head tightly as she held her eyes tightly and cried out in obvious pain. Tears cascaded down her pale cheeks as she began to rip pieces of hair out of her scalp from the strength behind her grip.

Kneeling in front of Ava, Chloe placed her hand on her forehead, and immediately felt a kick of power to her gut which left her breathless. She closed her eyes and tried to fight it, but when she opened her eyes she realized she'd lost the fight, because in front of her wasn't her living room, or Sam's living room. No. They were somewhere else entirely as images flashed before her eyes

…

 _Chloe, Ava and Sam stood with their backs pressed against the door, which was shaking behind them under a great strain, something large visibly trying to break in._

 _"This is it!" Ava cried out in fear as her body trembled. "This is what I kept seeing!"_

 _"What's going_ ** _on_** _?" Andy gasped breathlessly from the corner, huddled along with some other strangers, looking very scared._

 _"Don't you get it?" Max asked from where he sat on the dust-covered floor, his back against the wall. "Am I the only one who understands what is going on or why we were brought here specifically?"_

 _"What do you know?" Chloe yelled from where she fought with the others to keep the door closed._

 _"Yeah, dude!" A guy of African American descent asked as he joined them, putting incredible force against the door and helping seal the creature out. "Spill!"_

 _"Wait,_ ** _you_** _don't know?" Max's eyes were wide on Chloe. "Are you serious?" He let out a dark chuckle. "Wow. That's amazing." He leaned his head hard against the wall. "I'd thought you would've known even if these other idiots didn't."_

 _"What are you going on about?" One of the other strangers hissed. "Why should that girl know what's going on?"_

 _Max shook his head, disgust on his face. "Because 'that girl' is the reason we're all here."_

…

 _"NO!" One of the girls screamed and hid her face in the face of another as the group stared up at the body, which had been skinned and hung. Chloe wasn't in the group anymore, and she was terrified that meant that the body hanging up there was hers._

 _"We're all going to die," Ava whispered as she hugged herself, eyes wide with tears as she stared up at the body._

 _"No, we're not," Sam whispered back with a hand on her shoulder. "We're going to get out of here."_

 _Ava closed her eyes and tears streamed down her cheeks._

…

 _"No!" Dean screamed as he knelt on the ground, Sam's lifeless and blood-covered body on the ground in front of him._

…

 _Cordelia's body lay in front of an open hellmouth, her blood pouring from her into it, causing it to glow intense scarlet._

 _…_

 _Angel was covered in blood and clearly injured as he pulled an unconscious and very injured Giles into his arms._

 _…_

 _Buffy's body was half-propped up by the spear that pierced her body, its handle deep in the ground. Her eyes were wide and lifeless, the blood that dripped from her lips still fresh._

 _…_

 _John Winchester looked up in shock as he yanked the blade out of his chest and peered up at the person who'd buried it deep within him. "_ ** _Why_** _?"_

 _…_

 _Chloe levitated in the air, eyes closed, hellmouth energy whipping out around her like a tornado as hellmouths opened up all around her._

 _And there, standing in front of her with a grin, stood Azazel, eyes glowing yellow._

 _…_

 _Hellmouth energy exploded from deep inside of Chloe… and all hell broke loose._

…

Gasping, Chloe opened her eyes to find that Ava had stopped crying and stared at her with the same horror she knew her own face conveyed.

"See?" Ava wiped at the blood trailing down her nostril. "That's what I see, over and over again. The world's going to end, and you're going to be the reason it does."

Collapsing into a seated position, Chloe stared ahead of her numbly.

* * *

 **NORMAL TIMELINE**

Giles couldn't help but stare at Joyce's… _husband_. He'd met the "man" a couple of times while meeting with Joyce to give her updates on his search for Buffy's whereabouts, and never had he even suspected that the man wasn't human. And yet, staring at Ted so… disassembled… he couldn't help but _gawk_ at Buffy's step father.

Dean had proved just how out of it he was with Cordelia's leaving when he merely glanced at Ted and then shrugged and threw himself on the sofa, completely ignoring the robot in the box in the corner. His gaze remained on his phone, as he texted message after message and called as well, with no luck whatsoever. It didn't take a genius to know who Dean was trying to get into contact with.

Sighing, Giles wanted to go over there and comfort Dean, but he'd known the boy long enough to know that he didn't need comforting right now. Dean needed to be left alone to try and get in contact with Cordelia, and once he was ready to talk he'd come to them. He'd at least not closed himself off to them and had chosen to come and be here with them, and that was good in Giles' books. It meant that even though he was emotionally wrecked Dean knew that he couldn't do this alone, and would no doubt reach out once he was ready to. Until then everyone had to respect his need to be left alone while he texted on his phone desperately.

"Chloe and Sam will be over soon, Sam went to go and pick her up since her phone is going to voicemail," Buffy assured her mother, who was drinking tea and eyeing her boxed up husband with open worry. "If there's anyone who can fix Ted it's them." She glanced over at Dean and cleared her throat before returning her attention to her mom. "It mightn't happen _right away_ because we're in the middle of some sort of crisis, but they _will_ fix him. I promise."

"Thank you," Joyce whispered as she squeezed her daughter's hand. "I know Ted's and my relationship is difficult for you to understand and accept, but your support means so much, Buffy."

"I just want you to be happy, mom." Buffy's voice choked. "And if Ted makes you happy, then I'll do all in my power to give him back to you."

Joyce smiled a tearful smile at the strawberry blonde.

There was a knock at the door, and when Giles opened it he was shocked to see that Chloe wasn't the one standing next to Sam. " _Angel_."

"Rupert." Angel looked the picture of shame and contrition. "I hear there's a possible Apocalypse, and a family curse, that you guys need help with." He motioned with his head towards the boxes of books he and Sam were both carrying. "I think I can help with both."

Giles' gaze went to Sam's, surprised that the boy had been the one to go and bring Angel back into the fold. He stared at Sam and realized for the first time that he couldn't consider Sam a child anymore. This had been the most grownup move the boy could've ever done. "Come in, Angel."

"Thank you," Angel whispered as he walked in.

Giles stared at Sam, questioning him silently.

"We have an apocalypse to avert and a curse to break, Giles," Sam whispered in answer, eyes averted. "We need the Scoobies back together if we're going to do either."

Smiling, wondering if this was the pride a father felt when his son grew up to be a good man, Giles squeezed Sam's shoulder and ushered him in.

* * *

 **ALT TIMELINE**

After what had happened in the living room everyone had insisted Chloe lay down in bed, and she hadn't resisted. Not only had being forcefully planted inside of Ava's visions taken a lot out of the blonde, but what she'd seen had left her weak at the knees and highly nauseas. Was that the future? Were all of her friends going to die such horrible deaths? Was she really the cause? Why? How?

What could she do to stop it?

That was the question she kept asking herself long after Sam had left to go and 'liaise with their assets', leaving her alone in the room, with Red guarding Ava in the living room.

Chloe didn't know how long she'd been there trying to rack her brains on a way to avoid the deaths of everyone she loved and held dear, but after far too long she realized she was no longer alone.

"Hey." A body flung itself on the bed next to her, hazel eyes watching her with a frown. "I came as soon as I found out."

"Bette," Chloe recognized the girl from the pictures.

Bette smiled as she lay on her side and shuffled a little closer. "Sam told me you got whammied like he did a while back. He's gone with some of the others to try and figure out something to help you get your memories back." She made a face. "I should've been here. No more sending me off-base on missions. I'm your bodyguard for crying out loud. I could've deep-fried whoever did this to you."

"You can create fire?" Chloe guessed from the comment.

Bette held her hand up and watched as black flames appeared, licking at her wrist and fingertips. "I couldn't control it at first. Couldn't localize where it appeared or if I projected it outwards or not. You helped me stop accidentally killing anyone who came near me."

"How?" Chloe asked softly.

"You really don't remember, huh?" Bette sighed heavily as the flames disappeared immediately. "Well, every Special Child you guys came across could conduct your energy and use it to fuel their abilities. So knowing that you can guess that you could magnify my power." She licked her lips. "Or weaken them if our powers draw mainly from Hellmouth energy, like ours do."

Chloe sat up immediately. "I can do that?"

"Of course you can." Bette sat up as well, their legs crossed under their bodies, their knees nearly touching. "You blocked Red's attack on that Ava chick, didn't you? Even now I'm working on stored energy, you've got me completely blocked off too." She cleared her throat. "I mean, don't get me wrong, we don't just feed off of hellmouth energy, but that's where our powers really manifest their true form." Bette made a face. "But Hellmouth energy can control anything, sentient or not, if it's concentrated enough and the intent is clear."

"How did we meet?" Chloe asked softly.

"I lived on the street before… I'd hurt people." Bette took in a deep breath. "There was a bus. People got hurt. You felt the tug on the Hellmouth energy and found me." She gave a half-hearted shrug.

"What's your full name, Bette?"

"Why?" Bette tilted his head curiously.

"Because when I get back to my time I want to find you," Chloe responded sincerely. "Sam says there were a group of people who tried to kill Special Children. I want to make sure I get to you before I did in this timeline, maybe together we can find a way to stop that from happening."

"You're from this timeline you know," Bette declared with a frown. "You're the same badass who survived what the White Hats did to you, who toppled over their regime. Not even the Initiave stood a chance."

"What's your full name, Bette?" Chloe repeated patiently.

Bette sighed and lowered her head. "Bette Sans Souci."

Chloe nodded as she committed that name to memory. "Show me how to help you."

Head raising, Bette's thickly kohl lined eyes stared at Chloe in clear conflict before she sighed and nodded. "Maybe this will help jog your memory." Sitting up straighter, Bette threaded her fingers through Chloe's and held them tight as her hazel eyes met the girl's greens. "This is what you did." And with that she showed her.

* * *

 **NORMAL TIMELINE**

Chloe's phone went straight to voicemail again.

Sam glanced up at the clock and frowned. It was getting late. Where exactly was she? He'd swung by the apartment and had seen signs of her having gone there after meeting up with Angel, and yet there'd been no trace of her, and she wasn't answering her phone. If she continued to do this he was really going to start getting worried. She knew better than to go walking around alone at night, especially with everything that was going on.

He peered over at Angel, who was talking to Dean. While Sam's brother still wasn't a hundred per cent back to normal, the fact that they were actively working on how to break the curse, and had a much better chance now, had visibly invigorated him. The look of hope on Dean's face was enough for Sam to not regret bringing Angel back into the fold, despite knowing that that would no doubt be the catalyst for Chloe and the vampire getting back together.

"This is _horrible_ ," Joyce muttered as she slowly read through one of the books, having surprisingly enough offered to help, most probably in an effort to keep her mind off of the back that her husband was disassembled and awaiting repairs. "I can't believe there are people out here who would use these kind of spells on others."

"People are sick, mom," Buffy informed her.

"It's disheartening," Joyce muttered once more. "Ted and I were talking to Sheila and Ira the other day and you should've _seen_ what happened to their house last Thanksgiving. It was disgusting. They had to spend the whole next day cleaning up that filth with their daughter, who'd come back to visit them from university."

Sam glanced over at "Ted", shook his head, and tried dialing Chloe's number once more.

* * *

 **ALT TIMELINE**

The door flew in and Bette stood immediately, defensive, before realizing who it was and collapsing on the seat once more with a sigh. Chloe and her had gone back to the living room after Bette had showed her what Chloe had done to help Bette with her abilities, and both girls had been speaking with Ava when the door had been kicked open. Ava seemed to take her cues from Bette, but still looked nervously at the newcomers. Chloe, on the other hand, was shocked stiff. The last person she'd expected to see marched into the room with a girl she'd had never seen before.

Lois Lane stood there, shaking her head before gathering Chloe in her arms. "I can't freaking believe it, _you too_? Meg blinked to where I was and brought me back early. I can't believe, first Sam and then _you_?"

"Blinked?" Chloe asked in confusion as she glanced over at 'Meg', realizing her eyes were now black. She was either an Animus demon or half. "Half or full?"

Meg looked confused for a second before she blinked and her eyes were brown once more. "Full. I'm Meg Masters, or, well, my first meatsuit was named that and it kind of stuck."

"Meg's one of us," Lois informed her as she pulled away and looked Chloe over. "So, did Sam tell you about the time he spent over in this dimension?"

"No, he didn't." Chloe's eyes wide. "Wait - you know that it was a switch? Or, well, I think it's more like our consciousness playing parasite in the version of our bodies in this dimension."

"Who do you think helped Sam get back to his own dimension?" Lois wanted to know. "I figured it was either a subconscious jump, or a dimension switch, but since apparently you didn't have _our_ Sam walking around over there, and he has no memories of your side, a parasitic take-over does seem the most likely."

"You can't seriously believe that," Bette declared from where she sat. "Sam, Dean and Red-."

"Seem to have forgotten exactly who she is and what she's done in the past," Lois interrupted with a roll of her eyes. "Am I the _only one_ who remembers the Pylea incident?"

' _Pylea_?' Ava mouthed to Chloe in confusion.

Chloe shrugged, having no idea what they were talking about either.

Bette's eyes widened and her lips parted. She then cleared her throat and folded her arms over her chest with a pout. "That happened before I joined the gang. I can't be blamed if it slipped my mind as a possibility."

"Are you really not with Sam in your timeline?" Meg asked curiously. "I can't imagine that."

"Especially since your boyfriend has such a girlie name," Lois muttered in agreement.

"Ex boyfriend, actually," Chloe corrected with a flinch. "It was a rough breakup."

Lois' eyes. "Oh, that makes sense."

Chloe frowned at her in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Your switch, it makes absolute sense now," Lois declared. "Sam made a wish on a fountain that he didn't realize had a cursed coin in it. He wished that you would've never met Angel, so the coin transported him to this reality, where you'd never met Angel. If you were going through a bad breakup with Angel you probably subconsciously wished you'd never met him either… but without the coin to act as an inter-dimensional anchor it's shocking you came here too. There _have_ to be other realities in which you and girlie-name-boy never got together so why did you also come to this exact-?"

Chloe's eyes widened and she reached into his pocket, pulling out the charred metal thing she'd removed from Sam's dirty clothes. " _This_ coin?"

"Aha! Mystery solved!" Lois yanked the coin away and peered at it, flipping it over. "Did you know this bad boy got me pregnant once? The effects went away the second Sam destroyed it, but damn, I mean, it didn't even buy me dinner first."

Chloe just _stared_ at her cousin.

"So, do you want to hang around or do you want to go back home immediately?" Lois wanted to know curiously. "I know how to get you back if it's the first."

"We need to go back," Chloe responded immediately.

"Do we, really?" Ava asked softly from the sofa, flinching at the look Chloe gave her. "You saw what I've been seeing! If we go back that's going to happen! Everyone's going to die and the world's going to go _kaput_!"

"We have to go back to stop that from happening," Chloe argued.

"But your being there is what _makes_ it happen!" Ava threw her hands in the air. "If you stay here then that yellow eyed guy can't use you to end the world!"

"Yellow eyed guy?" Meg asked immediately, eyes narrowed.

"Yes, Azazel," Chloe responded before her eyes widened. "He's an Animus demon. You might know him!"

"Know him?" Meg stared at Chloe in confusion. "He was my _father_."

Chloe's eyes couldn't be wider. "Your _father_? How can we not know what the Special Children were created for then?" She hurried to Meg and grabbed her shoulders. "Why would Azazel want to use me to destroy this world?"

"He _wouldn't_ , he likes this place too much," Meg informed her. "You don't get it, Anima is very much like what the Christians refer to as Hell, it's horrible there. There was no reason why he'd want to destroy the place that he saw as his own brand of Heaven." She cleared her throat. "And my father kept the whole Special Children thing close to his chest. It never played out anyway, John Winchester killed him a very long time ago, before you even came to Sunnydale."

Chloe's hands slipped from Meg's shoulders as she took in a deep breath.

"See? Yellow Eyes doesn't _exist_ in this universe," Ava decided as she stood. "We could stay here and keep our world from…" She made an exploding gesture with her hands. "Both worlds continue to exist and no one dies in very graphic and grisly ways, that's a win-win in my books."

"Cordelia and John were somewhere other than where we were. Their deaths have nothing to do with _me,_ " Chloe informed her. "I have to go back, I have to save them."

"They'll die anyway when all hell breaks loose!" Ava threw her hands in the air. "I don't want to return to that! I can't-I can't keep seeing all those horrible things – all those deaths! I saw the way I die! I won't die like that! I want to stay!"

"Then _you_ stay," Chloe snapped. "But what I saw about Cordelia… I can't ignore that!" She turned to Lois. "If I destroy this coin and wish to go back, it should take me home, right?" When her cousin nodded, Chloe took in a deep breath before hugging her tightly. "I haven't seen you in so long. I've missed you."

"Really?" Lois asked softly as she hugged her. "So I'm not in Sunnydale in your timeline?"

"No, you're in Europe," Chloe responded. "Lucy's there too."

"Lucy didn't die on vacation with her school friends in your timeline?" Lois pulled away, eyes filled with tears, and when Chloe shook her head she took in a stuttered breath. "Is she happy?"

"Very much."

Lois smiled and wiped at her eyes. "Finally. Something good about your timeline."

* * *

 **NORMAL TIMELINE**

Angel kept glancing at the clock and then towards Sam, who despite having brought Angel there to help them research the two active issues at hand, was visibly distracted. The vampire wondered if it had to do with the fact that Chloe wasn't here. Was that because Angel was here? Was she refusing to come and Sam was trying to convince her to do so?

It hurt Angel to know just how bad he'd fucked things up. Not only had he gone and lost his soul, but he'd put Chloe through some horrible things for three years, and then the second his soul had been returned to him he'd freaked out and bailed on her when she'd needed him the most. Angel knew he was a piece of shit, and it was half of the reason why he hadn't let her know that he'd been in town for much longer than he'd let on. He'd watched from afar, trying to protect the best he could from the shadows, and he'd intended to do just that…

…and then he'd watched her throw the Claddagh ring he'd given her for her birthday outside of her bedroom window. He'd collected the ring from where it'd fallen and wore it around his neck. And when she and Sam had emerged from the apartment they were sharing, smiling at each other, he'd been unable to move and hide in the shadows as he'd been doing for so long now. The fear might've been what had rooted him to his spot.

Throughout the months he'd watched from the shadows as best as he could he might've missed the moments where she'd been tapped into (although he wasn't exactly sure how or when that could've happened) but while they were apart what had given him a sense of hope was the fact that despite it all she still wore his ring on her finger. No matter how angry she rightfully was with him, she still cared enough for him to be unable to get rid of it. And then she did. Did that mean she no longer loved him anymore? Had she fallen in love with Sam? Was that why Sam wasn't pissed off at the vampire like he should be? Why he was so at ease with bringing him back into the Scooby Gang?

Angel knew he didn't have a right to ask Chloe to forgive him, or to ask her to give him another chance, and he'd let her know that. He wasn't here to brush under the rug all the horrible things he'd done as Angelus, and the cowardly actions he'd done as Angel. No. Chloe deserved better than that. But he wanted to protect her, and after hearing that multiple people had forced connections with the hellmouth energy inside of her (and he'd had no freaking clue) Angel had realized that he couldn't truly protect her in the dark anymore.

That was why he was here, whether she wanted him there or not.

* * *

 **ALT TIMELINE**

"Don't you want to wait for Sam to get back?" Lois asked as they stood together on the balcony.

"He's not my Sam," Chloe whispered with a shake of her head as she held the coin up between them. Ava had gone with Meg to get as much distance between her and the coin as possible so she wouldn't be taken back with them when the magic was completely destroyed. There was no way she would return to the normal timeline, and Chloe didn't blame her. The girl had seen countless times how Chloe condemned the earth, but now that Chloe had seen what had happened she knew what needed to be stopped. She'd find a way to save Cordelia _as well_ as the world. She _would_. No matter the cost.

"Your Sam's in love with you too," Lois whispered right back. "I saw it in his eyes." She took in a deep breath. "Since things have gone pear-shaped with the Angel guy, maybe you should give Sam a chance. He's made you very happy in this timeline." She smiled tenderly. "And you mightn't be _my_ Chloe, but you're still a version of her, and that means I want you happy. Sam makes you happy." When Chloe didn't say anything, Lois sighed. "You know, you - the you from this reality - didn't want to believe there was a timeline in which she wasn't with Sam, but she eventually came to admit that yours exists."

Chloe looked up at her in surprise.

"She and I talked a _lot_ about what happened with Sam, and about what that meant. We even tried to figure out which reality yours might be, but while the ones in which you're alive are very few, it's still very hard to pinpoint which one you are from." Lois made a face. "She had a feeling it wasn't over though. She said that something's been happening in the few realities in which you exist. She doesn't know what it is, but she can feel it's something bad."

"Wait, what?" Chloe stared up at the brunette in shock.

"Yeah, I mean, you only exist in _very few_ timelines or realities. Chloe has been researching this like crazy since everything happened." Lois let out a deep sigh. "To put it in perspective, let's say there are a hundred different realities - you only exist in like ten of those realities. Those aren't the actual numbers, but it's to put it in perspective. And it's _weird_ , especially given everything we know about you."

Chloe's gaze lowered to the coin. "Lois, why does Sam's curse not work? With Dean it's because he's no longer alive, he's undead. So if Sam's alive _why_ is the curse not active? Is it because he's half Animus demon?"

"Of course not, silly!" Lois giggled in amusement. "It's because you're…" her mouth moved and formed the words that would forever alter Chloe's world.

Her eyes widened in horror. "That can't be. I—I'm not—! _That's a lie!_ "

" _Beelzebub's balls_ …" Lois' expression was absolute shock. "You didn't know."

Chloe stared down at her hand as Hellmouth energy seeped from her pores against her will, reacting to the overwhelming feelings welling deep inside of her. "I'm not…" She gazed up at Lois, feeling so lost and scared and confused. " _Please tell me that was a lie_."

"I'm sorry Lil Cuz," Lois whispered, tears filling her eyes. "I didn't realize you didn't— _how_ could you _not_ know?"

She was right. _How_ could she have not known? Not have realized? _Suspected_?

Bette got up and stormed towards the balcony, obviously sensing something was wrong.

Tears filled Chloe's eyes as she collapsed to her knees and hung her head, tears falling as magic exploded around her. She blinked and found herself back home, the coin in her hand now nothing more than sand.

Sobs escaped her lips as she collapsed to the floor and curled up in a ball.

Her phone rang loudly from somewhere in the apartment.

She ignored the sound.

* * *

 **TBC**


	10. The Letter

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

* * *

When Chloe had finally made it to where they were she'd hardly even batted an eyelash at finding Angel there, that had been enough for Giles to know that there was something wrong with her. His own magician's powers mightn't be what they'd once been due to years of neglecting them in favor of instead devoting himself to his Watcher Duties, but Giles was more than able to feel the difference in her. A glance in Sam's direction was all he needed to know that it wasn't just him. Sam was the girl's conduit, and as such he was the person who'd best feel when something was off with her, or her connection with the Hellmouth, and if the looks Sam kept sending her were anything to go on, something was definitely wrong.

"Something's wrong with her." Buffy joined in in the corner of the room opposite Chloe, watching her intently work on Joyce's mechanical husband. "My Spidey Senses are all over the place yelling 'Danger! Danger! Will Robinson!'."

"Yes, I have noticed something is off." He let out a stuttered breath. "I had hoped that it was just the addition of Angel which had her off kilter."

"Me too, but it's not that." Buffy shook her head as she folded her arms over her chest. "I'm sensing a _huge_ disturbance in the force. Like, this is _way_ beyond boy drama."

The two shared a look of concern before they turned their gazes on the girl with her back to them, concentrating completely on Ted.

* * *

Ted's condition was just what Chloe needed. She kept her back to the others and had him open and connected to a laptop as she tried to figure out his software, once she could get him figured out she could run a troubleshooting program on him to see exactly what had gone wrong with him. Not only did this allow her to completely ignore the others without raising any sort of red flags, but it gave her time to herself to smoothen out the plans she'd started formulating after she'd finally stopped crying at home. She'd immediately searched some information, and had lowered her head in regret to find out that Bette Sans Souci had died in an accident six months ago. She'd forgotten to get Willow's last name so it'd be tricky figuring out who in the world she was, the blonde didn't even know where to begin searching.

 _You've already messed up, Chloe. You've got to do better than this. The people you love are going to die if you don't_.

The images she'd seen through Ava's eyes haunted her and left her breathing rapidly in fear.

Her computer beeped, letting her know that yet another one of her searches had come up blank. She had no idea what software Ted's creator had used to make him function, and she could spend years trying to find out. Right now more than ever she needed a win. Just one. She needed something to remind her that she could help, that she could do good things, could make things better. There was so much she needed to do before she—and this was one of them. And yet she was failing Joyce the same way she'd failed Bette and Red. The same way she'd fail everyone if she didn't do something quickly to stop it from happening. That was why she'd put plans into motion, and this needed to be done by then. It had to be.

Starting yet another search, Chloe moved from the laptop to sit in front of Ted. She stared at the bolts, gears and wires that made up his insides. It could take her years to figured out what each and every one of them did, and she didn't have years. She didn't have a day. Everything needed to be ready by this evening. Anything passed that was too late.

In her desperation a little Hellmouth energy seeped out of her fingertips, and her green eyes widened as something deep within Ted seemed to seep it in immediately. For the first time ever Chloe tried to force out more, and when she did the wisps were once more sucked inside of Ted's body. She pushed aside wires and different gears, finally finding what was essentially a heart-shaped container inside of him. Her Hellmouth energy seeped into it, and it trembled, even if only for a second.

Something Bette had told her in the alternate timeline raced through her hand, and Chloe stuck her hand deep into Ted's chest, wrapping her arms around his heart. Grounding herself, she let out a deep breath as she forced a little bit of the door she kept locked inside of her open, and when the energy sprung out she focused it, funneling the surge of energy through her arm into her hand, where it was immediately soaked in by the 'heart'. Her head began to hurt but she ignored it and forced more and more of the Hellmouth energy into the cyborg's body. With each wave of energy the heart seeped in more and more of the system began to become known to Chloe. She could understand it a little better. Its software became unnecessary for her to hack in and 'see' what was happening within its body. Hellmouth energy revitalized Ted's body until his 'heart' was beating in his chest, in her hand. She pushed on, able to access the memory drive, see the memories of Ted and Joyce together. Joyce had been very happy, and the robot was happy to be completing his mission: make Joyce happy. Chloe somehow knew she could, so she did - she strengthened that resolve, and then… and then she added a sub protocol. It would lie dormant in his system until it needed to be activated.

While there was enough energy for him to run for a while within him, Chloe pushed in more and more. She didn't know when she'd be able to charge Ted up again so she pushed passed the splitting headache and continued to push more and more Hellmouth energy inside of him. A part of her wondered what exactly his heart was made of. It easily consumed her Hellmouth energy and didn't let a bit of it seep out - which meant that even with that toxic energy inside of him it would be safe for Joyce to touch him. Only once the pain was too great, her vision dancing with black spots, did Chloe disconnect herself from Ted. She pulled her trembling hand away and held it by the wrist, a flinch of pain on her face. And yet she pushed the pain away and, with the knowledge she was still sifting through in her mind, began to reassemble Joyce's husband. It took her a while, it was trial and error, and yet in the end, with Ted in one piece, Chloe stared at him. She wondered whether Joyce had a thing for the actor John Ritter, because Ted had an uncanny resemblance to him.

Shaking her head, Chloe crossed her fingers and turned him on. For a second there was nothing, and then the sound of Ted being booted up purred to life.

Joyce glanced up immediately at the sound and dropped the book in her hand. " _Ted_?

Ted was silent for a minute before he blinked his eyes open and yawned as he stretched. "Now _that_ was a nice rest!"

" _TED_!" Joyce sobbed as she raced towards him and threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest.

Ted hugged her close and looked down at her in confusion. "Is everything okay, honey?"

Joyce ignored the question and brokenly whispered a 'thank you so much!' to Chloe before kissing her husband.

Chloe smiled. At least she'd been able to help _someone_. And yet… her smile dropped immediately. She didn't know _how_ , but she _did_.

Taking in a deep breath, Chloe moved towards the window and fingered the curtain open to peer outside.

There, on Giles' lawn, were a pack of Hellhounds. They all sat. Watching. Waiting. Just like they had when she'd gone to see Angel. Except now she knew _why_.

Taking in a deep breath, Chloe let the curtain fall closed and turned back around the others to see Sam making his way towards her. She met him halfway, but instead of stopping, grabbed his hand and dragged him behind her as she went to where Dean and Angel were. Both men looked up as she arrived with Sam, and when Angel's gaze went to her locked gripped on Sam's hand a part of her wanted to let go immediately, but she fought that and took in a deep breath. "I've had a vision of Cordelia and John. They're together trying to figure out a way to stop the curse, but I've seen them both die." Immediately she had all three males' full attention. "I need the three of you to work together to find them before they're killed."

"Who kills them?" Dean wanted to know dangerously as he stood.

"I don't know," Chloe admitted. "I just saw that they did die. And that John knows who killed him. That's all."

"Knowing dad, he's got tons of people who hate him enough to kill him," Sam whispered.

"There's a Hellmouth involved, I don't know how or why, but there is. You have to keep Cordelia far away from it." She took in another deep breath as she turned to Sam. "Sam, they're going to need your ability to both track individuals using something personal of theirs, _and_ your ability to teleport. I know it takes a lot out of you, but it's the only way that they're going to be able to catch up with John and Cordelia in time." She turned to Angel. "They're going to need your knowledge on curses and how to break them. You need to find a way to get their curse to break without them dying."

Angel stood as well and nodded. "Of course. I will."

She turned to Dean. "You're the only one who can talk Cordelia down."

He two took steps and engulfed her into a tight hug. " _Thank you_."

"Don't thank me yet, not until they're both safe," she whispered as she hugged him back just as tightly. "You have to leave now, Dean. You have to bring her back safe and sound."

"I will," he promised.

* * *

Sam and Dean were out getting some things that would be needed for their trip. They'd agreed to go and get some things from Angel's as well while he continued to go over the books. Everything was moving so fast, terrifyingly, suspiciously so. If it wasn't for the fact that Chloe had gone to talk to Joyce and Ted the second the boys had left Buffy would've dragged her away and demanded some sort of explanation, and she had a feeling that was exactly why Chloe was having such a long chat with Joyce and Ted. Buffy's Spidey Senses were going insane telling her that there was something going on. She was near a panic attack, and if Chloe didn't butch up and leave the protection of Joyce's side Buffy was going to yank her away and get the truth out of her once and for all.

Chloe finally excused herself from Joyce and Ted and went to the kitchen. Buffy was about to follow when Angel did the exact same thing.

 _Once he's gone I'll make my move_.

* * *

"Why did that feel like a goodbye?"

Chloe stood with her back to Angel, her glass filling with water. She hesitated a breath before turning towards him, glass in hand. "Do you really want to make up for everything that Angelus did to me?" When he nodded silently, she sighed and placed the glass on the counter. "I didn't just see Cordelia dying. It was Buffy, and… Sam. Because of me they die. I can't—I _won't_ be the reason they die." She took in a deep breath. "I need you guys to save Cordelia, and I need you to make sure that not only is the curse broken—but that they're safe." Her green gaze lowered as she took in a deep breath. "Angel, I'm trusting you to keep the people I love safe."

"What's happening, Chloe?" Angel asked softly.

"I've seen the future, Angel." She finally looked up at him, met his brown gaze. "I've seen all hell broke loose. And I know what has to happen to stop it. I can do it. I just—I need to know that everyone is going to be safe."

"What are you planning?" He stepped closer, suspicion dark in his gaze. "Chloe, don't do anything stupid."

"I'm not going to die or anything, Angel, I like living," she reassured him with a small smile as she put the glass down. "But I _do_ need to do something, and I can't do it while worrying about what is happening to everyone at that time."

" _What_ are you planning?" Angel repeated, that suspicion still highly dark in his eyes. He almost looked like Angelus in that moment.

"I need you to find someone for me," she said instead of answering his question. "Her name is Willow, but I don't know her last name. She might have some connection to Sunnydale, I'm not sure. She's a redhead and would be considered a… a witch. I know it's a lot to ask with so little leads, I'm sorry, but it's all I have. If you do find her, though, don't make contact. Just let me know. Please."

"What's so important about this Willow person?" Angel wanted to know curiously.

"I want to make sure she's not killed," Chloe responded. She wasn't ready to disclose what else she'd found out in the other timeline, not yet at least. No. There was too much to do, to prepare for, and this was only going to limit her already limited time to get them all done. "Please."

The vampire stared down at her before taking in a deep, unnecessary breath before he nodded. "Yes. To everything." He hesitated a second before brushing a golden lock out of her face. "I will protect the people you love."

"Thank you," she whispered before surprising them both by throwing herself at him, hugging him tightly. Things were so horribly off between them, they might never be what they'd once been, and he could hurt her unlike anyone she'd ever known - without even trying! But he'd been her first true love. He'd been the man who made her a woman. She'd grown up by his side, and had loved both his light and dark sides. No matter what happened between them, he'd always be important to her.

Angel was frozen for a second before he wrapped his arms around her. "Promise me you're not going to do anything stupid, Chloe."

"I promise," and she meant it. Her plan wasn't stupid in the least bit. It was the safest plan, for _everyone_. "Please take care of yourself too, Angel. You're a part of that list of people I want protected too."

There was a moment silence, and then his grip around her tightened. "If you say so."

"I do."

* * *

Angel finally left the kitchen and went back to where his books were. _Finally_. Buffy took the opportunity to go to the kitchen and found Chloe peering out of the window into Giles' back yard while she slowly sipped from a glass of water. The Slayer was curious what the girl could be staring at so intently, but when she moved closer to look outside, Chloe jumped and let the curtains fall closed as she turned to face her.

"Buffy! You surprised me!" Chloe gasped as she put down the glass of water.

"What were you looking at?" Buffy asked curiously.

"Nothing, I was just looking out into the distance while thinking, that's all." Chloe turned to face her and took in a deep breath. "I was also trying to figure out how to ask a favor from you and Giles."

"What favor?" Buffy moved closer, eyes narrowed.

"I need you two to go back with Joyce and Ted to Sunnydale. Tonight. I bought your tickets already." She bit her bottom lip and looked around before she moved closer. "I went to an alternate reality today."

Buffy blinked, not sure whether she was more shocked about the travel plans, or Chloe's last statement. She decided to concentrate on the latter since it seemed more… weird. "Like, spiritually—?"

"No. Like, I _literally_ was in a different reality, one in which Angel never came to Sunnydale, and because of that the Master rose. Things were very _very_ different." She hugged herself. Her skin was paler than normal and showcased dark bags under her eyes that Buffy somehow hadn't noticed until that moment. Whatever had happened in that other timeline had visibly traumatized her. "In that reality I never left Sunnydale… and I was with Sam."

"Wow." A little blindsided by this huge revelation, Buffy leaned against the edge of the counter and eyed her friend. "How did you, uh, reality travel?"

"Sam's been there, apparently, he used a magical wishing coin - long story - I ended up with it when I was doing our laundry and I end up over there." She took in a deep breath. "So many things were different just because Angel had never gone there. I—it's shocking." Her green eyes met Buffy's. They were darker than Buffy remembered. "I saw things over there, Buff. Things about _us_ , about what's going to happen over here. It's not pretty, people we love die. And Azazel is mixed in it. He's behind it all."

Suddenly the sudden travel plans made sense. "You want Giles and me to go over there and talk with the new Watcher and Slayer about Azazel's visit - about what he was doing." She scratched her arm, feeling more in her element now that she knew what the plan was. Whenever things were starting to go wonky, things happened to Chloe, so this weird reality jump had to be somehow connected to what was going down - to why the hellhounds were roaming the earth - to Azazel's visit to Sunnydale. Chloe was right, they couldn't leave that in Wesley's and the new Slayer's hands! Buffy and Giles needed to go to Sunnydale and take a look at everything for themselves! They _had_ already stopped one Apocalypse and thus had more experience than their replacements! "You think that whatever he was doing in Sunnydale is connected to whatever's going to happen?"

"Yes." Chloe nodded. She hesitated, almost as if afraid to say the next part: "Buffy, I saw you die."

Having already figured that that might be the case, Buffy nodded as she took in a deep breath. "What about Giles?"

"I'm not sure, but he was very injured, I couldn't tell for sure." Chloe looked sick at her stomach, paler than usual. "Buffy, I get why you and Giles are circling each other, neither making a move, but we don't know what the future's going to bring. All we know is that our lives consist of one Apocalypse after the other, and we can never be sure that we'll come out of them alive." She reached out and grabbed Buffy's hand, squeezing it. "You're my best friend, Buff. I love you, and I want you to be able to find happiness, no matter how unconventional. I mean, just look at your _mother_ for crying out loud." Chloe's smile was genuine wand soft. "When I was fixing Ted I managed to access his memory and I could see flashes of them together. Despite how incredibly unconventional their relationship is they're very happy together. And I want that for you. If there's anyone who deserves to be happy, it's you."

Emotion clogged Buffy's throat, and all she could do to convey how much that meant to her was to draw her best friend into a tight hug. "I love you."

Chloe's grip around her was just as tight. "And I love you."

At the sound of the door opening, and the boys returning from getting what they'd need for their trip, the girls separated and gave each other smiles.

* * *

This was going to be hard as hell to do, especially with two other guys, but Sam would have to deal with it. They'd start driving in the direction his tracer spell was indicating as the route that Cordelia was on, and when they were close enough that he could pinpoint exactly where Cordelia and their father was, he'd had to teleport them - and that would leave him completely drained of his power for a while, so that meant that if there was danger awaiting them on the other side, Sam would have to rely heavily on Dean and Angel - which was probably a part of the reason why Chloe had asked the vampire to come along. It hurt Sam's manly ego, but he understood it, and it needed to be done to save Cordelia, as well as their father.

That didn't mean he had to like it though. And he didn't. He also didn't like the feeling that they were being shoved off and gotten out of the way. There was something going on with Chloe, he could feel the energy inside of her way off, but she wasn't going to open up — and he didn't have time to pry it out of her. After they came back with Cordelia he was going to sit her down and figure out exactly what was wrong with her.

As everyone said their goodbyes, Sam slipped away from the others and found Chloe already outside, hugging at herself as she stared up at the stars. He went to stand next to her and stared up at the stars as well. "What happened to you this evening? And don't tell me 'nothing' because I can feel how conflicted you are right now."

She glanced down at Dean's Impala, which they would be driving most of the way. "Why didn't you tell me about the alternate universe? The one in which Angel never came to Sunnydale?"

He froze. How in the world did she know about that?

"I accidentally went there today," she responded, as if having read his mind. "I met the alternate you - and alternate others." The blonde exhaled loudly, slowly, and turned to face him, expression blank. "You wished for a universe in which I'd never met Angel?"

He stared down at her, so horribly put on the spot and not sure how to respond except with the truth. But this was such a horrible time for the truth! "Yes."

"Then why didn't you stay there?" She asked softly.

The temptation to look away was immense, but instead of giving into it, Sam took in a deep breath and squared his shoulders as he stared down at her shadow-covered face. "When we get back from saving Cordelia, you and I need to have a long talk."

For a moment she didn't respond, but then she slowly nodded. "We do." She cleared her throat. "Don't do anything heroic which will get you killed, okay? I need you to be extra careful."

"Of course."

" _No_." She glared up at him, as if his rapid response had pissed her off. "I'm not just _saying_ it, Sam. I'm _telling_ you to be careful. You could die, okay? Don't let that happen. _Please_."

He had no idea what she was going on about, but he could feel it through their connection. She was scared. It was why he gave the command serious thought to let her know he wasn't brushing it off, as he nodded. This time he stared her in her green eyes when he promised: "Of course."

She continued to look up at him, but this time must've seen something different, because relief filled her greens. " _Good_."

The next bit was a little too quick for him to really focus on. He stood there, shocked, because Chloe had pulled him down and basically climbed up his body to hug him. It was almost like he was a tree and she a monkey, and the thought made him laugh as his arms wrapped around her and he hugged her tightly, holding her close.

"Come back safe and sound," she whispered in his ear.

He smiled brightly and held her closer. "I promise."

* * *

It'd been a night of goodbyes. Not only had Dean, Sam and Angel left in the Impala, but Buggy, Giles, Ted and Joyce had gotten in a taxi to head towards the airport to catch the flights Chloe had bought for them with the money she'd saved during her time with Angelus, Spike and Drusilla. It'd given Chloe the time she needed to cry some more, pack up, and then make the last call she needed to make. And that was why she was here in her living room, recounting the whole damned thing.

Kal listened in silence before he looked up at her finally. "I see."

She licked her lips, waiting for more of a reaction than that.

"So, I'll let Lucy know to put Azazel on our list." Kal's eyebrow raised. "You're doing this because of him, aren't you? So once he's dead—."

"Azazel's very powerful," Chloe interrupted quickly, worriedly.

"So is the Last Son of Krypton," Kal informed her, almost insulted. "And let's be real here - Lucy's probably the most dangerous and terrifying person alive. Once she's on his scent that Animus demon won't have a chance." He grinned toothily. "And if we _really_ want him to suffer we'll make him spend time with Lois."

Unable to believe that she was laughing, Chloe leaned hard against Kal and smiled when he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Thank you."

"For threatening to throw your cousin at Azazel?"

"No." She shook her head. "For taking the news about me so well."

There was a moment's silence, and then Kal sighed. "Chloe, I'm an alien. Who am I to judge _you_?"

She laughed once more and wrapped her arms around her. "I love you."

"Yes, well, I am lovable," Kal informed her before he sighed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "If you need me, Little Cousin, call for me. I will keep an even more watchful ear out for your voice, and if you're in danger I will hear it and come for you."

"Thank you," Chloe whispered. "Can you tell Spike if he asks you if you know why I'm so MIA?"

"He won't like it," Kal informed her.

"Why do you think I'm putting it off?" Chloe wanted to know. "But if I don't do this—."

"Yeah. I know." Kal squeezed her. "We'll get Azazel. Don't you worry about that. And once we do I'm coming for you, personally."

Chloe closed her eyes, smile in place. "I'll be waiting."

The sound of a car drawing to a stop outside caught their attention.

With a sigh, Kal stood. "Remember, I am a call away." And with that he was gone.

A knock sounded on the door.

Wiping at her eyes, Chloe stood and went to the door, opening in to find a group of people on the front porch. "I'm sorry for the last minute request."

"No, no, we appreciate your need to understand yourself," Quentin Travers responded as he motioned his men to enter and get her things, which had been packed up. "Do not worry, Miss Sullivan, we will find out exactly how you are connected to the Hellmouth energy, and will help you figure out how to control it."

"It was wise of you to reach out to us," Gwendolyn Post announced as she stepped to stand next to Quentin. "We understand Mr Giles' fatherly protection, but it is in your own good interest that we help."

"Of course." Chloe nodded as the men emerged with all of her things. She locked the door behind her and closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath.

* * *

Throwing herself on her childhood bed, glad that her mom and Ted were letting her and Giles stay here during their trip to Sunnydale, Buffy yawned. While they needed to be here, she wanted to get back home as soon as possible. There was something going on with Chloe and Buffy didn't like the idea of her being there by herself, even if only for a couple of days. Whatever was going down would go down soon and Buffy planned on being next to her friend when she did.

Sitting up, Buffy reached into her bag to search for her phone, but instead felt something odd inside. She pulled it out and found a folded up letter with her name written on it in Chloe's handwriting.

Nerves budding in her stomach, she unfolded it and started to read.

 ** _Dear Buffy_**

 ** _If I'm lucky you'll find this while in Sunnyvale, or at least on the airplane in mid-air. It's not that I don't trust you, in fact, I trust you more than anyone else. I haven't told the others in our group what I'm going to tell you. But they deserve to know, because, like you, they've been influenced by me without even realizing it. Their lives have been changed, put in danger, because of me. And I'm so sorry._**

 ** _But I'm getting ahead of myself._**

 ** _Buffy, something extraordinary happened to me. As you already know, I visited another reality, but what you don't know is that I've learnt something unbelievable. There's a reason you and I have always felt so connected. It's because we are._**

 ** _I'm so sorry, I didn't know. I swear I didn't._**

 ** _In this other reality Sam and I were together, but his curse didn't activate. Do you know why?_**

 ** _Sam's family curse is activated when a male member of the Winchester family becomes romantically entangled with another human being - male or female. Should they actually fall in love with this other person, the curse will kill them both and not just the partner._**

 ** _The reason Sam and I were fine was because he was not in love with another human being._**

 ** _I'm not a human being, Buffy. The reason why I've managed to stay alive despite everything that had happened to me - is because I'm not really alive - or I am - but not in the way that I should be._**

 ** _We were wrong, Buffy. Wrong about so many things. About my mother. My father. My connection to the Hellmouth. Sam's connection to me. Yours._**

 ** _The hellhounds have been following me. They don't attack. They watch. They wait. And now I know why._**

 ** _I wasn't an accident. I wasn't a mistake. I didn't unintentionally steal anything from my mother by being born._**

 ** _Gabe isn't my father._**

 ** _The Master isn't my father._**

 ** _Azazel isn't my father._**

 ** _I don't have a father._**

 ** _I don't have a mother._**

 ** _I had a guardian who faced the Master, who lost her life while facing the Master. She thought he might realize the truth of what I was, she was trying to protect me._**

 ** _I always despised Moira, Buffy, but she died to keep me safe - and I can't let you do the same thing. I've seen it happen in a vision, and I'm not going to let anything happen to you or anyone else I love._**

 ** _Don't bother rushing back. I'm not here. But I'm fine. I've gone to visit the Watchers Council. They've wanted to study me for a while, and assure me they have a place where I can stay during my visit where no one can get to me - not Azazel - no one. They won't be able to find me, much less take me, or… or use me. That's how I keep you all safe: I keep myself locked up somewhere where I can't be used by Azazel or anyone else. That way you live. Sam lives. Cordelia and John too. Everyone lives and I get to be in a place where I can continue this existence that shouldn't even be._**

 ** _The Watcher Council don't know the truth. As far as they are concerned I'm just a normal girl who got caught in a meteor shower, was mutated, and that mutation somehow made her a natural Conduit of the Hellmouth._**

 ** _I'm not a Conduit, Buffy._**

 ** _I'm not a normal girl._**

 ** _I'm not even alive._**

 ** _Not really._**

 ** _I don't know the details, I don't know why, but I was created. When Moira worked her darkest of magics with the help of the Master, she wasn't trying to harness the power of the Hellmouth, as he'd thought and led me to believe as well. She was trying to create a body for me to inhabit, and she used her own DNA to help my creation, so in a sense she was my mother. I was energy, Buffy. Just energy. And you'll say something like 'all life is energy', and I agree, which is why I say I'm alive - kind of._**

 ** _But Buffy, I'm not human. I don't know how many more times I have to say that, to write it out, before it finally sinks in. I can't believe it, I'm still trying to._**

 ** _Do you know what my alt!timeline cousin told me was the reason why Sam's curse didn't activate? Do you want to know her exact words?_**

 ** _They were, and I quote: "Of course not, silly! It's because you're not even close to being one of its triggers! Your body was created by Aunt Moira using dark magics, her DNA, and the Master's unknowing help… it's merely a vessel to house your true form - formless energy. I mean, you told me yourself, you're basically a golem. A clay exterior brought to life by magic for a purpose. And that purpose was to give your energy a safe place, a way to hide, to blend in human society. You were made into a baby so that you'd have years to grow up and grow stronger. Aunt Moira made sure you were in the meteor shower so that it would strengthen you, and it did. Aunt Moira risked - and gave her life for to protect you against the Master… and others." She then realized she'd gotten sidetracked, shook her head, and continued with another laugh. "So, yeah. Sam's curse never activated because he's always been in love with you - the Hellmouth disguised as a human."_**

 ** _I didn't want to believe her, but it made so much sense. It explained so much!_**

 ** _It's why I had that connection with the Hellmouth energy from the beginning._**

 ** _It's why I can tap into it without dying._**

 ** _It's why I could sense it - track it - when the Master ascended._**

 ** _It's why I can drink Hellmouth energy infused drinks without issue._**

 ** _It's why my blood is potent yet poisonous!_**

 ** _It's why demons can sense me no matter where I am and are drawn to me. Hell! Dru kept calling me HELL and I NEVER GOT IT!_**

 ** _It's why wherever I am soon becomes Hellmouthy._**

 ** _Because it is._**

 ** _Because I am._**

 ** _Buffy. I'm not a conduit of the Hellmouth energies. I AM the Hellmouth energy._**

 ** _It's why you and I are connected - you're meant to patrol the Hellmouth and protect those around it…_**

 ** _I'm the Hellmouth disguised in human form, and I'm going to be used to destroy the world and kill everyone I love._**

 ** _You included._**

 ** _So that's why I've given you all the pieces of the puzzle I know to help you all survive - and I've taken myself out of the equation. Azazel can't use me if I'm hidden away and protected by the Watchers Council. When it's safe, if you still want to see me, I'll be under the supervision of Quentin Travers and Gwendolyn Post._**

 ** _Once again, I'm sorry Buffy._**

 ** _I didn't know._**

 ** _And I'm doing all in my power to try and stop this. I swear._**

 ** _Yours_**

 ** _Chloe_**

 ** _PS - can you please tell Gabe and Jenny that I'm on vacation somewhere? I don't want them worrying about me._**

Buffy stared up from the letter, eyes wide. "Chloe, you _idiot!_ "

And with that she got up and raced to Giles' room.

* * *

Chloe sat in the plush seat on the private jet that would take her to the Watchers Council's headquarters in England. Quentin was on the phone talking to the others back at the headquarters, preparing everything while his men loaded in Chloe's things and readied for take off. Gwendolyn was in the cockpit. Chloe kept her gaze out of the window and tapped her fingers against her thighs in a clear nervous tick. There were tons of doubts in her mind but she pushed them back. This was the only way she could see things working out without anyone dying. Her friends were going to be pissed at her when they found out, but they'd be able to visit, if they wanted. Quentin had assured her of that. This wasn't a suicide mission. This was containment.

Ending his phone call, Quentin turned to Chloe with a smile. "I hate flying."

"I'm not too fond of it either," she admitted.

He nodded and glared down at his watch only to frown. "We should've been in the air already." He peered passed Chloe down the aisle as someone boarded the jet. "Where is everyone? We should've been wheels-up—!"

A muted sound pierced the cabin before suddenly Quentin's eyes were wide, crimson beginning coat his shirt.

Chloe's eyes widened. He'd been shot! They were under attack! She quickly fought with her seatbelt only to feel something pierce her neck. Heat flooded into her. Someone had injected something into her. But what? Were they going to kill her? All around her the world began to spot, and she couldn't move. Her whole body felt heavy as if it was being weighed down by bricks. She tried to scream Kal's name but her lips wouldn't budge.

The last thing she saw, as she slumped forwards in her seat, held in place by her seatbelt, was the life draining out of Quentin Travers' eyes.

* * *

 **TBC**


	11. Waking Up

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

* * *

The first time Chloe nearly came out of consciousness people were talking around her while a bright light shone right in her eyes – which she was unable to open due to how heavy they felt. But even through her eyelids she could feel the burn of that light. The peoples' voices were distorted, and sounded demonic until she realized that the voices weren't the only ones that distorted. There were other noises as well, and they all held the same unearthly drag, which meant there was something wrong with her hearing.

"Why is the chip reacting this way?" A voice wanted to know.

"We're not sure," another responded. "Until we do though, and can fix whatever is causing it to short circuit, we need to keep her sedated."

"Tell me these charts are wrong," a British accented voice announced. "This amount of sedative is lethal!"

"Normally, yes, but her resistance to them is growing." That was yet another voice. "We're constantly having to up the dosage to make sure that she remains under sedation."

"Figure out the issue with the chip soon." That was the first voice, and it sounded dangerous. "I will _not_ have you killing her because you're incompetent! That girl could be the answer to everything. Already the others are reacting to her presence, and she hasn't even been taken to the normal holding chambers. She's too invaluable to lose." Something thudded loudly. "Figure it out."

There was more said, but Chloe lost herself to the silent darkness.

* * *

The Watchers Council were being dicks. It'd been three days since Chloe had gone to stay with them and so far they weren't allowing Giles and Buffy to get in contact. In fact, they weren't even answering their phone right now. Giles assured Buffy that this was their version of a power play, letting the ex Watcher and ex Slayer see that they had all the cards. It was annoying as hell but Buffy could see those stuffy asses doing this, so she didn't let her annoyance with the situation bother her as much as it normally would. There was no way she'd let those assholes get the better of her!

That was probably why she didn't tell Sam, Dean and Angel whenever they'd call to check in. They thought Chloe was busy doing things, and considering their phone calls were all very brief as well there wasn't enough time to really question. Buffy hoped that by the time they found John and Cordelia, Chloe would've gotten in contact so Buffy could convince her to come back home.

Until then, the Slayer was stuck in Sunnydale with her successor. A part of her liked Faith, while another part of her somewhat resented the brunette for taking over her job so spectacularly. At least Buffy knew without a doubt that she'd lucked out in the Watcher department, because Wesley Wyndam-Pryce was a freaking idiot. She was surprised Faith and Wesley were both still alive after all this time on the Hellmouth. She was also surprised the Hellmouth was still there, for that matter.

Giles clearly shared her sentiments about their replacements, and that made her feel less bitchy about the whole thing, especially since he was being much more vocal about his feelings.

"How could a demon like Azazel come to Sunnydale, specifically tell you something was about to happen – and you have so little information on _anything_?" Giles snapped.

Sighing, Buffy leaned against the door and watched the Watchers buck heads once more.

* * *

The second time Chloe nearly came out of consciousness people were once more speaking, but while their voices were still distorted, now they seemed to be coming from a fishbowl. The bed under her felt different as well, and the room was much colder than it'd been before. She vaguely registered a pain in the back of her head, and wondered if it was because she'd been lying down for a very long time. And if so – how long had she been lying done in this same position?

"Shouldn't she be waking up by now?" A voice asked.

"We can't predict exactly when the anesthesia will wear off. Remember, we gave her an insane amount of it to keep her under while we updated the chip so it would work on her," another responded.

"Walsh's going to put _us_ in one of these cells if she doesn't wake up soon, or at all." The first voice was clearly nervous.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, she'll wake up."

"You better be right. Our lives depend on it."

"Don't be so dramatic."

"I'm not! We've had more violence and aggression since she came here than we have in a very long time! Even the broken ones are acting up! There's something seriously wrong with that girl! I don't care if our tests say she's a hundred per cent human – there's something very wrong with her!"

Tests? What tests?

She tried to move her lips and form the words, but the darkness returned and she slipped into it willingly.

* * *

It'd been a week and a day, and Buffy was starting to get worried. Not only wasn't Chloe getting into contact with them – which wasn't like her – but Giles still couldn't get in contact with the Watchers Council. And it wasn't just Giles. Wesley had phoned the Council to prove to Giles that he was just being blocked by the elders…. Only to have his own call go straight to voicemail as well. Not only that, but every consequent call had gone straight to voicemail. Wesley was having a minor nervous breakdown, calling over and over again, worrying that he'd done something to be "put in the same boat" with "a rogue like Rupert Giles".

If it wasn't for the fact that they were going over so many books – as per Giles' orders – Buffy would've probably gotten on a plane and gone to jolly old England herself to see just what in the world was going on, but she was needed here, and the best thing she could do with her time right now was figure out what Azazel had planned. There had to be some prophecy they'd overlooked, some little information or warning which could hint as to what in the world was going on.

A knock sounded on the window, and when Buffy glanced out she froze in shock to see Clark Kent - aka Kal El - outside. While she'd never actually met him before, she'd seen tons of pictures of him, and Chloe spoke about him all the time so the Slayer felt like she knew him. It was why she opened the window and stuck her upper body out without a second's thought.

"You're Cl-Kal," she amended quickly given the fact that Chloe had shared he didn't like his birth name or to be called by it anymore.

"And you're the Slayer." He raised an eyebrow. "I have news on the Animus demon known as Azazel."

Her eyes widened. "Hold on a second." She leaned back in, yelled "GILES!" and then leaned back out. "So did Chloe ask you to keep an eye out for him?"

He nodded. "She told me where you would be and that I should get in contact with you should my informants come up with anything." The guy made a face. "I don't know how helpful this will be, but Azazel's been spotted in Cleveland. They don't know how long he was there or what he was doing, but he is confirmed to have done some sort of ritual while there. He also hinted that something was soon going to happen."

"Cleveland." Buffy made a face. Sure, the whole thing was important, but what the hell would a demon like Azazel go to _Cleveland_ for? "What the hell's so special about there? I mean, here I get, there's a hellmouth. But what's in Cleveland?"

" _Another_ hellmouth," Giles responded softly behind her in horror.

"Shut up!" Buffy turned to look at him in shock.

Giles ignored her and turned to look at Clark, whom he would've also known from the pictures on Chloe's computer _as well_ as the pictures in Johnathan and Martha's homes. "Do your contacts have any clue _what_ kind of ritual Azazel performed in Cleveland?" When Clark shook his head, Giles frowned darker. "What if we are wrong? What if Azazel didn't come here because there's a prophecy that has to do with this hellmouth?" He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Has he been seen anywhere else? Like maybe Easter Island, Chile?"

"Yes… How did you know?" Clark asked in visible surprise. "He's also been seen in Providence, Rhode Island."

"He's going to everywhere where there's a hellmouth," Giles whispered, eyes absolutely owl-wide behind his glasses. "No _wonder_ the hellhounds are acting up!"

"What could he be doing at _every_ hellmouth?" Buffy wanted to know as that feeling of dread that'd taken up residence in the pit of her stomach expanded.

Clark ran his fingers through his hair. "Nothing good."

* * *

The next time Chloe came out of consciousness she was actually able to move her body. It started small at first: her fingers twitched once, twice, and then she was able to move her hand - only a little, but that was enough. The sounds were still distorted but were slowly fine-tuning. The lights on her were bright, even behind closed, heavy eyelids.

Slowly, very slowly, Chloe moved her hand to cover her eyes and block the bright light from burning her. She licked her lips and coughed, her mouth felt like she'd been swallowing sand, and her eyes were so heavy. Everything in her body begged for her to go back to sleep, but she pushed passed it. She needed to wake up, it wasn't normal to feel this sleepy.

Forcing her eyes open was a chore, an excruciating one, and when Chloe finally managed to open them the light burned, even through her hand. It was everywhere and it was infernally bright. Her body moved on its own and she found herself sitting up, her hands covering her eyes, helping them slowly adjust to the change of light. What was going on? Where was she? And what was that light? What was happening?

Her memories were blurry, horribly so, making her unable to remember exactly what had happened. There was also a pounding in her head that sounded like someone was playing drums inside of her skull. She touched her head reflexively and froze. Her head… her _head_!

Her hair was gone. She now had a buzzcut, and there was a large gauze taped to the back of her head, and the seconds her trembling fingers trailed over it a jolt of horrible pain raced throughout her body.

Opening her eyes once more in utter shock, Chloe finally glanced around her and went still. She was in a box, a glass box. There were breathing holes, as well as a cot (which she was sleeping on) and a small porta potti. A glance down at her body proved that she wore a hospital gown.

 _What happened? Was I in an accident_?

And yet that wouldn't explain the glass box.

Stumbling to her feet, Chloe's legs nearly gave up on her. She stumbled back down on the bed and took in a deep breath before trying to stand once more. She managed to stand and move, one foot at a time, towards the closest glass wall. Her palms pressed against the cool material as she stared at her own reflection in horror.

Pale skin, dark bags under her eyes, buzzed head, hospital gown, and gauze patches all over her. What had happened? Had she been in an accident?

A roar echoed throughout the room.

Only then did Chloe gaze passed her reflection into the room her glass cage was in, and when she did her eyes widened and her lips parted. There were countless similar glass boxes taking up every inch of wall space, stacked side by side and one on top of the other, and in each and every one of them was a monster or demon of some kind. Some of the species Chloe had fought during her time with the Scoobies or met during her travels with Angelus, some she'd only seen in Giles books - some she'd never even seen or heard of before. " _What is this place_?"

"Hell," a voice croaked to her right.

Jarred by that sound, Chloe turned to find that there was a glass cage next to hers on the right, and in it there was a girl. Similarly to her, the girl was bare foot, wore a hospital gown, was covered in bandages, and had had her hair cut short. The curls were growing back though, all wild and uneven, only proving just how long she'd been there. " _Bette_?"

"How do you know my name?" Bette San Souci sat with her body leaning against the glass wall that divided their glass cages.

"Are we dead?" Chloe asked as she turned to look at the millions of similar glass cages all throughout the endless room. If hell was a place, this could very well be it.

"We're not that lucky." Bette let out a sigh. "So you're a telepath, huh?"

"What?" Chloe tore her gaze from the others and returned her green gaze on Bette.

"They wouldn't collect you unless you had an ability, the only humans here are those they feel are worth 'studying'. Everyone else are those monsters." Bette made a face. "You knew my name so you have to be a telepath."

"No." Chloe shook her head and then winced when it hurt. "This is going to sound weird, but I've met you in an alternate reality." At Bette's unimpressed, disbelieving look, Chloe turned to fully face her. "You can create fire, but you don't do it intentionally. This ability wasn't something that you grew up knowing you had, and it only manifested a couple of years ago. It started off small at first - you've always had higher than average temperature, were hardly affected by the cold, but it gradually grew to you not feeling cold at all - and giving off heat. The first time you realized something might be off was when a friend placed his hand on her arm and got burnt."

Bette's face closed off immediately as she narrowed her hazel eyes.

Chloe wracked her brain for everything the alternate Bette had told her. "The first time you caught on fire you burnt your whole neighborhood to the ground. You were sleeping at the time, dreaming you were trapped under a thick sheet of ice and drowning. Your whole family were also in the house that night. They died in that fire and you've never been able to forgive yourself for surviving it - for causing it." She stared into those haunted hazel eyes. "You can't control it and because of that you've hurt a lot of people. So you lived on the run, on the streets, keeping to yourself because if you don't let people in then you can't hurt them when your power flares up uncontrollably."

"I never told anyone what I was dreaming that night," Bette finally spoke, her voice a low whisper, her expression shaken.

Chloe caught and held her gaze. "You told me."

Bette leaned harder against the wall. Conflict was visible on her face. She wanted to believe, but was scared to as well.

A noise to her left distracted her, and Chloe turned to realize that there was another cage there. This one contained a wraith. It was surprising Chloe hadn't noticed her until now, to be honest. The creature was plastered against the wall that divided their cages, her open mouth pressed against the glass, as if trying to suction something from Chloe's cell.

"An alternate reality, huh?"

Chloe's attention returned to Bette to find that the younger girl was now on her feet, palms against the walls separating their cages. "Where are we?"

"They call this place The Initiative," Bette answered with a sigh as she pressed her forehead against the glass. "They say they're scientists but this is clearly a military operation. They collect people with abilities, as well as those monsters. They study them - us, pit us against each other. That pain you're feeling in your head right now? It's because they've implanted a chip in your brain like they have all of us. That chip keeps us from using our abilities without their permission. If we try it hurts like hell, and if we still persist it fries us, it's their fail safe, not only does it control and track us, but it kills us - or leaves us brain dead. I've seen it happen too many times… I can picture each and every one who fought." She went pale. "The lucky ones died."

Chloe eased her hand back over the gauze behind her head and flinched at the spike of pain.

"These cages also have some sort of nullifying agent to them. As long as we're inside them our abilities aren't active. Or, at least it shouldn't. Sometimes they get rid of the nullifying agent just to fuck with me." She slammed her palms against the walls. "All in all we're basically fucked. I mean, there's nothing we can do. They have guns and needles and numbers."

"How fascinating," a new voice declared, the sound of which made Bette recoil away immediately. "I do not believe Miss Sans Souci has spoken this much since her arrival." A woman Chloe did not recognize appeared, arms clasped behind her back, stance military yet her white robe denoted her status as a scientist. "How are you feeling, Miss Sullivan? We were beginning to worry that you would not wake up."

"Who are you?" Chloe wanted to know as she turned her attention on the blonde with a pixie cut. Who was this woman and how much of their conversation had she overheard? "What do you want with us?"

"You're a natural conduit of the hellmouth energies, when we found that that was _a thing_ we knew we had to get our hands on you." The woman declared. "You can call me Professor Walsh, I'll be the person who you'll interact with mostly during your stay here."

"How do you know what I am?" Chloe fought to keep the relief off of her face. They didn't know what she really was. That could be a good thing.

"She had a little help," an unexpected voice announced as a familiar figure stepped out of the shadows.

"Gwendolyn Post?" Chloe whispered as suddenly the events of her kidnapping returned to her in a flash. She staggered back a couple of seconds and just stared at the Watcher. "You killed your own people."

"They were dinosaurs still lost in the jurassic age," Gwendolyn replied acidly as she crossed her hands over her chest. "When Maggie came to me with this proposition I knew that I couldn't say no."

"Women need to help each other in our world," 'Maggie' agreed with a little smirk. "And I know you don't see it now, neither of you do, but we're here to help you. Once Miss Sans Souci can learn to master her abilities she will be an incredible asset to our government. And _you_ , Miss Sullivan. A conduit for the hellmouth, able to strengthen a witch's power by tapping into an energy that would kill others. You could do _so much_ for your country."

"KAL!" Chloe screamed as she slammed her hands into the walls loudly. "KAL! KAL! KAL! KAL! KAL! KAL! KAL!" And yet Kal didn't come.

"Interesting, who is this Kal and why does she think he or she can hear her?" Maggie Walsh asked Gwendolyn Post.

"Not sure," Gwendolyn admitted before she turned her attention to Chloe. "Your friend can't hear you, darling. This whole place is fully soundproof and enhanced with magic."

Chloe's eyes widened in horror. Could Kal really not hear her? " **KAL!** " Suddenly pain unlike anything she'd ever felt seared through her brain. She couldn't stop the scream even if she'd wanted to as she grabbed her head and collapsed to her knees. It lasted forever and a day, but in reality must've only been a couple of minutes, before it finally stopped.

"That was just a warning," Maggie informed her blandly. "We can't have you riling up the other guests."

 _The chip—this must be what Bette was talking about_.

"At least we know it works," Gwendolyn muttered as she eyed Chloe up and down.

"Be a good girl and get some rest," Maggie ordered as she walked over to the cage, and bent at her knees so that they were face to face, her one one side with all the power, and Chloe on the other. "You're going to need it."

* * *

John was using something that seriously screwed with location magic, which was why they were still following them in the Impala instead of Sam just teleporting them to wherever John and Cordelia were. As it was, Sam's magic was able to pinpoint where those two _had been_ , and so they were always two steps behind. Their only hope was to figure out exactly _how_ to end the curse, that way they'd be able to anticipate where John would be and get there before him to stop whatever happened that ended in his and Cordelia's deaths.

Dean had been running himself ragged, surviving off of coffee and adrenalin. It was no wonder he'd finally crashed. He lay in the backseat, snoring loudly while curled up around the huge box of books they'd brought with them.

Sam had taken over driving duties, and Angel sat in the passenger's seat, using a flashlight to keep reading. Having used his magic to sun-proof the windows had probably been the most useful thing Sam had been able to do since this had all started, and he honestly felt useless. At least, though, he could be here for his brother and drive while the sandy-blonde snored in the backseat, no doubt dreaming of the girlfriend he was rushing to save.

He glanced over at the phone only to find that Chloe had yet to answer the many texts he'd sent her. When she'd failed to answer his first couple of phone calls he'd realized she needed time to herself to go over what she'd learnt in the alternate universe - as well as the fact that he'd wished for it - and so he'd limited his attempts at communication to texts. He'd promised himself he wouldn't push for information about her during his calls with Buffy, but he was sorely tempted to the longer Chloe didn't answer him. Had he gone a screwed everything up? Was there honestly no chance for them now?

The silence on her part was making him grow increasingly uncomfortable. Not just emotionally. There was something going on in their connection. If it wasn't for the fact that he knew Buffy would let him know if Chloe was in danger, Sam would've worried it was exactly that. But since Buffy hadn't gotten into contact with him he knew this had to be something it. It could be the fact that she was pulling away from him. And that hurt. But it was a possibility he had to accept if it did happen.

And yet even as he thought that his chest felt like it was slowly being constricted. Painfully. And he was fighting a migraine. He'd had a really bad one a couple of hours ago, it'd nearly blinded him and it was a good thing he hadn't been driving at that time. The pain had lessened was a very dull ache, he could easily handle it.

"You're worried about her." It wasn't a question, just a statement from the vampire who had yet to look up from the book he was reading.

"Yeah." Sam fixed his gaze on the road. If there was anyone he did _not_ want to talk to about Chloe, it was with Angel.

"I know it doesn't mean anything, especially not now, but I need to apologize for what Angelus did to you." Angel still wasn't looking up from the book. "I like to tell everyone that he and I are separate beings, but we're not, not really. He's the version of me who isn't inhibited by a conscience or guilt, he's the darkest parts of my soul who I try to hide and chain and keep under control every single day." He let out a deep, unnecessary breath as he finally snapped the book closed. "The thing is, Sam, is that I love her, and in his own very twisted way, so does Angelus."

He didn't want to do this. Not now. Not here. Not with this guy. And yet… "So do I."

"We know that, we always have," Angel replied with a heavy sigh. "And you have a bond with her that we never will, it's one of the reasons why Angelus took you as well. There was no one else he could've threatened that would've been half as successful as you."

"I'm sure her father would've made an excellent bait." Sam's eyes widened. Oh for crying out loud! Now if Angelus came back - if he kidnapped Gabe - it would be _Sam's_ fault!

"No, that wouldn't have worked." Angel shook his head with a dark laugh. The vampire had never made it secret that he didn't believe Gabe did a good job being a father and protecting his daughter. "Angelus needed someone that could not only survive the demons world, but thrive in it. That wasn't Gabe. That was _you_."

Intrigued, Sam turned a quick glance in the vampire's direction. "Anyone could be a pet, Angel. They just need to be broken enough."

"How exactly were you broken?" Angel asked with a smile that almost reminded him of Angelus for a second. "You were treated decently, especially for a pet. You weren't tortured, were actually quite pampered, even when we went out. Drusilla doted on you. And you even had a comfortable bed in your master's room." He shook his head as his smile turned more wry and less pointed. "Angelus liked knowing you were watching him take her."

"Of course he did." Sam shook his head in disgust. "He kept sneering at me, as if saying - this is what you want and can't have, Pup."

"If you hadn't left, he would've let you join in."

Sam nearly stepped on the brakes in his utter shock. " _What_?"

"Angelus was tempting you with what you wanted, he knew you were at the breaking point, and once he felt you close to tipping over that edge he would've offered you a part in the family, not as a pet, but as actual family." Angel leaned his head back against the seat. "If I'm being completely honest, you weren't only taken as leverage to Chloe. The two of you were taken as a reason for the other to stay."

Confusion filled Sam in such a disorienting way he found himself pulling over off of the road and parking the car. He turned to face the shame-faced vampire who had yet to meet his eyes. "What are you talking about? _Why_ would Angelus want me as a part of his family?"

"Were you ever told the story of Angelus and Drusilla?" Angel asked softly, shame all over his face.

Sam wracked his brain. "She was pure and he wanted to destroy that."

"She also had an incredible prophetic ability, and Angelus wanted that." Angel finally turned his gaze on Sam. "He could see the same potential in you, Sam. You took to magic rapidly, too much so, and being with Chloe made you even stronger. With the right incentive, the right manipulating, the right motives - he could see you as his greatest creation. He could mold you, like he molded Chloe, and make you into something fearsome and great - into someone people would whisper about in fear. He wanted to do that."

Sam just _stared_ at Angel in utter shock. "How could he possibly know I'd be powerful?"

"Drusilla confirmed it, kept calling you a Hellhound, which only proved your future worth to someone like Angelus." Angel let out another deep, unnecessary sigh. "You could think of Angelus like a collector. There were other people he sired but the ones he kept by his side were Drusilla - the psychic, and Spike, annoying, sure, but he was a bloodthirsty monster, a warrior of darkness. He killed 2 slayers on his own - a feat in itself for one vampire. You and Chloe would fit in perfectly… with some modifications." He ran his hand over his face. "He never got to finish his work on _you_ , but he had three years to mold Chloe… and I will never forgive myself for that… because if he did that to her, it means that a very deep, dark place of _me_ wanted to all along."

There was a moments silence as the witch stared at the vampire. "Why are you telling me this?"

The vampire gave a little shrug. "I don't really know."

* * *

The Watcher's Council headquarters had been attacked and razed to the ground by forces unknown.

The only reason that Buffy, Giles, Wesley and Faith even found out is because a Watcher who'd been out on assignment, had returned only to see passed the glamour wards all over the building. This watcher, interestingly enough, was Sam Zabuto, the late Slayer Kendra's Watcher. The man hadn't called them, had instead made his way to Sunnydale, and here he was, standing in front of them, carrying the luggage he'd had when he'd returned to the Watcher's Council, as well as bearing the horrendous news.

Buffy collapsed on her seat, eyes wide in horror, heart racing. "Everyone was dead?" When he nodded, she clutched at her heart. "Chloe—?"

"Everyone is dead," Sam interrupted, accent heavier with his grief. "They were torn to pieces."

"So a demon did this," Giles whispered as he leaned hard against the wall next to Buffy.

"Azazel?" Wesley asked, voice breaking.

"It was not just demonic," Sam replied with a shake of his head. "There were shell casings. I only discovered one or two, but I am sure that they are the ones that were overlooked."

"Humans fired _guns_ at the Watchers?" Faith made a face. "And then hid the evidence? They let demons feast on the bodies to, what, hide the bullet wounds?"

"I am not sure." Sam took in a deep breath. "All I know is that the Watchers and those under their care were all massacred. I saw their bodies. I _do_ know, though, that your friend was _not_ one of the bodies I saw."

Buffy and Giles turned to each other in utter relief.

"She was of much interest to the Council, we all knew what she looked like," Sam continued. "She either was taken from the Council, or she never arrived there. One of our private jets didn't return. She could've been in one of them."

Faith stood and rubbed her knuckles. "But if she never made it to the Watcher Council's headquarters, where the hell is she?"

No one had an answer.

* * *

Apparently they'd taken blood, tissue, hair, fecal, spinal fluid, basically any kind of samples they needed, they'd taken while she'd been unconscious. They'd scanned her whole body, performed Cat-Scans, Pet-Scans, Ultrasounds, X-rays, spinal taps… the list went on. Chloe figured that it was better that this had happened while she'd been unconscious, and it explained why she'd been so weak and sore when she'd awoken. It probably explained why it'd taken her so long to wake up, too. Her body had needed the rest to try and heal itself.

Those tests had apparently merely pointed to her being a hundred per cent human, which both relieved and amused her given what she knew about herself. But what wasn't amusing were the other tests. They wired her up to machines so her body was monitored every second of the day as they subjected her to one situation after the other and saw how her body reacted to them. Even while she slept her brain was being monitored.

Still, she couldn't complain, not when Bette had it worse. The first time Chloe had seen Bette spontaneously burst out into flames had been like watching a horror movie. The girl had been terrified, screaming and flailing around, asking for help, for them to turn back on the neutralizing agent, but they didn't. And then she seemed to disappear in an explosion of flame, only becoming a raging fire which raged within her cage until all the oxygen was burnt out. Only then did she collapse, unconscious and naked, on the floor, and only then did they allow oxygen back into her cage. It had to be torture.

But that hadn't been the worse of it.

During 'meal time' - which consisted of goopy food in a plastic container (with plastic knives and forks) which had been slid into the cage threw a small opening - Chloe had witnessed her first pit fight. The glass walls of their cages had turned into screens, and provided them the view of two being trapped in a larger cage. One was clearly a Kaliff demon, which were easily identified by a row of spikes lined along each side of their head. The other was a thin blonde girl, her hair shaved yet the bits visible were blonde, her eyes hazel. She reminded Chloe a bit of Buffy.

"HEY!" Bette slammed her hand against the wall. "HER LIGHT'S STILL RED! SHE'S NEUTRALIZED!"

Chloe didn't understand what Bette was saying, until she realized that the back of the girl's head was glowing a faint red. It had to be the chip. It must be still be neutralizing whatever power the girl possessed. A quick look to the back of the Kaliff's head proved that it was glowing a faint green.

"HEYYYYY!" Bette continued to slam her hands repeatedly into the glass. "TURN HER SWITCH ON!" She raced to another wall, banging against it. "SHE'LL DIE IF YOU DON'T!"

The light stayed red as a deafening siren blared above them.

In seconds the Kaliff demon charged and the fight begun. It wasn't a fair fight. In fact, it wasn't a fight at all. The demon charged and the girl dodged as best as she could. There was electricity in the walls though, and she got shocked more than once.

"TURN ON THE LIGHT!" Bette screamed as she collapsed to her knees. "WHY WON'T YOU TURN IT ON?!"

Heart in her throat, Chloe's eyes were wide as she stared at what promised to be a massacre. The screens protected high definition quality so they could all see the terror in the girl's eyes as she jumped and dodged and cried as she tried to activate her powers yet the red in her skull shone brighter, proving the chip was keeping her from doing whatever the hell she was trying to do.

The Kaliff demon wasn't showing any amount of sportsmanship and was chasing after her hungrily, viciously, eager for the hunt, for the kill. Chloe could _feel_ it's need, it's desire to tear the girl apart and feast upon her flesh and blood. It knew that without her chip activated she'd be an easy meal.

Likewise, Chloe could feel the terror in the girl. She was in pain, she was scared, and she knew she would die. Her body trembled, her head stung, and it was all she could do to keep on her feet, to keep one swipe of claws away from the demon after her.

"PLEASE!" Bette sobbed before beginning to scream and grab at her head, which was shinning a bright red. They'd activated the torture setting on the chip, no doubt to punish her.

Chloe stared at Bette as she writhed in agony on the ground. "STOP IT!" She screamed as she started slamming her fists against the cage like Bette had, trying to draw their attention away from her. "STOP DOING THIS!" Immediately she felt the heat in her chip seconds before it activated and pain assaulted her. Its was blinding, as well as deafening, like a mini siren going off insanely loud in her ears. Her brain throbbed and her whole body gave out on her, falling to her knees before collapsing on her side and curling up in a ball.

The pain eased up and she used the little strength she had to kick the glass wall, igniting the pain once more. This time she was prepared for it, and maybe it was the fact that she was already featuring the pain of the previous that she was able to handle it better. She wasn't sure why, but she slammed her foot against the glass again, and again, and again.

With each kick she realized something that surprised her, as the pain augmented she could feel the chip better. Almost like with Ted she was beginning to actually _see_ the chip, and that meant that even though the pain was getting worse, hurting her somehow made the chip weaker. The only time she'd ever tried to summon the hellmouth had been with Ted, but now she had a different sort of urgency. With her hands pressed against her head as she screamed, Chloe did something which could be monumentally stupid. She called upon the hellmouth energies inside of her, and she focused them inside of her head.

The more energy crowded in her mind, the better she could see the chip. It was incredibly intricate, its insides features many different wires as well as actively transmitting and receiving wireless signals. It was attached to her cerebral cortex, sending some sort of signal into it which was responsible for her pain.

Like with Ted she enveloped the chip with hellmouth energy, but unlike with Ted, it didn't absorb the power, the power, the energy, engulfed the chip so thickly it began to block the signals to and from her chip. Little by little, Chloe found the pain diminishing until it was a faint ache, a memory in her bones. She laid on the cold floor and stared at her reflection in the tiles. Her head was glowing a murky red, but the pain was gone.

Bette was still on the ground, writhing in agony.

"You can stop it, you know," a voice spoke from behind her.

Chloe twirled on her heel, eyes wide as she stared at none other than Azazel lounging on her bed, hands clasped behind his head to act as a pillow. "How—?"

"Finding out where you were was tricky, the wards on this place are nothing to scoff at," Azazel admitted as he pushed up to his feet and stretched. "But this is not my first time hearing about _the Initiative_ , and when I realized the Watcher's Council - my first bet as to where you'd disappeared to - was offline I realized this was the only other place you could be." He grinned. "Thank you for showing me its whereabouts."

"I didn't show you _anything_ ," Chloe denied as she turned as he circled her, making sure not to give him her back ever.

"Not intentionally, no, but let's say that I have gotten… in tune… with you lately on as intimate a level as one can get without actually being in your physical presence." He moved closer. "We have to get you out of here."

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Chloe shook her head. "I'm not letting you use me to end the world."

"End the world?" The demon asked curiously before his eyes widened. "You know what you are."

"And I won't be a puppet who you use to end this world," she whispered angrily.

"My dear, you've got it all wrong." Azazel shook his head. "I like this world. I do not want it to end. _That_ is why I am doing what I am doing. I am protecting this world."

Her eyes widened in shock. " _What_?"

"To protect this world from what's coming, I have to do something, and I'll need you out of here to complete it." He took a step towards her and held his hand out to her. "Help me save this world."

"Why do you think I would believe you?" Chloe wanted to know. "You're a demon, demon's lie. I'm not stupid enough to believe you want to save the world just because you tell me you do. I've _seen_ what's going to happen. You use me to make all hell break loose."

"I don't have time for this." Azazel let out an annoyed growl. "I am protecting this world. I am protecting _you_. Even if from yourself."

" _What_?" Chloe asked in confusion before suddenly he placed his hand on her forehead and somehow she knew she had only seconds before she was taken out of there against her will.

The sound of gurgling distracted her for a second, and she glanced sideways to the screens to watch the Kaliff demon eating the dying blonde whose blood now covered the bottom of the cage. The last thing she saw, before everything went back, were those lifeless eyes staring right back at her.

* * *

"Okay, no more driving for Sammy." Dean finally looked up from where he'd been going over the damage the Impala had sustained.

Sam sat on the ground outside, his hand on his head. That migraine he'd felt before had returned with a ferocity that'd left him blind and deaf, and the next thing he'd known once it'd finally stopped, his brother was dragging him out of the car, which had apparently crashed into a tree on the side of the road. A part of him felt bad for having caused the accident, but he couldn't have expected this sort of migraine. He'd never had something that horrible before.

 _Do I have a brain tumor or something_?

"Oh my…" Angel looked up from the book he'd still been reading from inside the car since there was still some sunlight left in the sky. He threw the book down into the car and pulled out his phone, entering something into it. "Come on… come on you stupid thing!"

"What's wrong?" Dean asked as he walked around the car towards the vampire.

Sam frowned and pushed up to his unsteady feet.

Angel froze, eyes wide on something on his screen, and then he pulled out the book again as if for reference. "I know where your father and Cordelia are going."

"That's a good thing though, right?" Sam asked as he joined Dean at Angel's window.

"No." The vampire shook his head as his brown eyes met theirs. "It _really_ isn't."

* * *

 **TBC**


	12. All Hell Breaks Loose (Part One)

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Based on Supernatural Season 2 "All Hell Breaks Loose (Part 1)"

* * *

"It's called the Amat Mortem, which literally translates to 'Love's Death'." Angel informed them as he looked up from the book laid flat on his lap. "I don't know what your ancestor did, but this curse is one of the darkest, most cruel ones. It takes a toll not only on the target, but on the caster as well. It's intended to basically destroy a lineage, as it will kill all those able to bear children and carry on the family name."

Sam and Dean shared a look, thinking of everyone the curse had already claimed, of the ones that had affected them the most: their mothers and Jess. Cordelia was now next on the list, and if they didn't find her soon, she'd join the other victims of this horrible curse.

"This text can only cite two other times in history in which this curse was employed," Angel muttered as his gaze lowered back to the tome on his lap.

Sam's gaze also lowered, but this time to the map on his lap. A pendulum dangled in his hand, but it was wonky as ever. It was giving him a general location but wasn't narrowing it down. Whatever John Winchester was using to hide his and Cordelia's location was incredibly powerful. Frustration welled up on him as he looked up from the small restaurant they were parked outside of.

"We need to get to them before they get to Cleveland," Angel announced slowly.

"Cleveland?" Dean asked as he looked up. "How are you sure they are going there?"

"Call it a hunch," Angel muttered as he glanced down at his tome.

Sam looked up when he noticed their order finally at the cash register. "I'm going to go get our food." He put his pendulum and map on the seat as he slid out.

"Make sure they didn't forget the extra onions!" Dean called after him.

"Dude, Angel and I are the ones who are going to have to ride in the car with your extra onions," Sam muttered as he slammed the door closed and headed towards the front door.

Dean leaned out the car window. "Hey, see if they've got any pie!"

Sam grunted as he opened and closed the door.

The second he disappeared, Dean turned to Angel. "Okay, now that he's not here tell me what you're holding back."

Angel cleared his throat. "I don't know what you're—."

"Bullshit." Dean frowned at the vampire. "You're not telling us something, and I need to know what it is. Chloe said Cordelia and dad are _killed_ , Angel. I need to know what you know. Why are they heading to Cleveland? What's going on?"

"A spell like this draws on the darkest of magics and energies," Angel sighed. "In other words, it draws on Hellmouths, and to end the curse you have to connect with the power that cast it. So since your father drove right through California, and the closest Hellmouth in this direction is Cleveland's, that is the only place he can be heading."

"There's a Hellmouth in _Cleveland_?" Dean made a face. "Go figure. You learn something new every day." He raised an eyebrow. "What else?"

Angel licked his lips and opened his mouth when suddenly the car radio turned on and became staticky. They both glanced down as Dean fiddled with it, but it turned off completely on its own. Dean looked up and shared a look with Angel before he turned his gaze towards the restaurant, and his eyes widened. "The lights are off."

" _What_?" Angel turned and sure enough, the lights were completely off inside.

"Sammy!" Dean tore out of the car and ran into the restaurant to find one customer at a booth dead, face down in a puddle of blood. "Sam?" He took out his gun and looked around to find that the employees were also dead, their throats slit.

Angel was stuck in the hexed car thanks to the sun still shining above them.

Dean opened the back door and looked around outside. " _Sam_?!" He glanced down and noticed a white substance on the door. Now the scent in the air made sense. " _Sulfur_." Dean raced back out the front and jumped into the car, slamming his door shut. "Sam's gone. Everyone else is dead and there's sulfur all over the place."

"Azazel," Angel whispered in understanding.

"We have to look for him, we—,"

"Dean." The vampire interrupted him. "Sam is fine, at least for now. We need to get to Colorado. We need to get to Cordelia."

"Sam's my _brother_! He's with a demon! Cordelia's with my father, and while—."

"He's going to sacrifice her, Dean!" Angel snapped.

Dean froze, his hand on the keys in the ignition. " _What_?"

"Illis quos (ego) amo, sacrificabo," Angel read off of the tome. "For those I love, I will sacrifice." He took in a deep breath. "To break the curse on your lineage, a woman who truly loves a Winchester man has to die." He took in a deep breath. "Dean, does Cordelia really love you?"

Dean nodded slowly as conflicting emotions welled in his throat,

"Then, if Chloe saw her death, it's because, if we don't get to her, your father's going to convince Cordelia to sacrifice herself for you." Angel stared at him. "Sam is strong. We will figure out what Azazel wants, but I doubt it is to kill him. If it was he would be just another body in that place." He turned the tome around so Dean could see the drawing of a woman lying lifeless inside of an orb of energy, her blood coating it. "But if we don't find Cordelia soon, she's going to die."

Dean closed his eyes and slammed his fists hard into the steering wheel. He took in a deep breath and stared up at the ceiling before he nodded and turned to Angel. "Where in Cleveland is this Hellmouth?"

* * *

It all happened too fast to process.

When she'd inhaled she'd still been inside of her cage in the Initiative, but by the time she'd fully exhaled Chloe found herself on a cold hardwood floor. She wasn't able to even look up and figure out where exactly she was though, because the sound of screaming caused her to turn on the dusty floor to find Bette there. The brunette gripped her head, the back of which was flashing red and yellow.

"No!" Bette kicked out. "Please! No! I don't want to die!"

The kill switch.

The chip must have a function which activated when the chipped individuals left Initiative grounds.

Hurrying to Bette, Chloe dropped to her knees. She needed to do something! But what? sure, she could always try and block Bette's chip like she had her own, but that would mean infusing Bette with Hellmouth energy - which was _poisonous_. But Bette was special, like Sam. That meant she could handle it better than most, right? Even if not, Chloe didn't have time to come up with an alternative to this awful, _awful_ plan.

Grabbing Bette's head, Chloe urged her face up so that it was facing her. "Bette. I need you to open your eyes and trust me."

"The countdown's begun," Bette sobbed.

"Bette!" Chloe snapped. "Look at me!"

Bette's eyes flew open and the second they did Chloe forced the remnants of the energy she'd called up for her own devices earlier on, and forced it into Bette's head. Like with Ted, and then herself, the more dark energy she forced in, the easier it was to see the chip, to manipulate it. Darkness covered the chip like a blanket which grew thicker with each wave of dark energy that pierced through Bette's skull.

Only when the lights in the chip died, all connectivity gone, did she pull away and bite down rapidly onto her own palm. The pain was searing but she ignored it and dug her teeth in deeper until they broke through skin and her own blood sprung up.

Bette had stopped screaming, but her eyes widened in horror as Chloe forced her hand to her mouth and pinched her nose, forcing her to either swallow or drown in her blood. Surprisingly enough, once Chloe removed her grip on Bette's nose, the brunette took in a deep gulp of air and yet didn't stop drinking her blood. She sent the blonde confused looks, clearly questioning why she was doing this, but she swallowed mouthfuls and mouthfuls of blood until it had finally stopped gushing out.

Only then did Bette pull away and make a face as she rubbed her palm over her mouth. "What did you do to the chip? And why did I have to drink your blood?"

"I've blanketed it with Helmouth energy, which makes wireless instructions to or from the chip impossible." Chloe stood. "But Hellmouth energy is poisonous - so I had to counter its effects with my blood, which has healing qualities. We need to get these chips out of us as soon as possible though." She went to the closest window and peered outside. Wherever they were, it looked like a ghost town from a Western. "Side note, you're going to have to keep drinking my blood until we do because the effects will wear off."

"And I'll get poisoned by the thing that's keeping my head frown exploding. Got it." Pushing to her feet Bette brushed herself off. "So what exactly are you? Because that's a range of powers there."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Chloe muttered.

"Look, I don't know what Hellmouth energy is, but it's filled my noggin." Bette rapped on the side of her head as she joined Chloe's side. "I say risk it and tell me what the hell it is."

Taking in a deep breath, Chloe did.

* * *

Sam woke up in the middle of nowhere. He was lying on the ground, in the middle of a street which was lined by a few abandoned buildings. His memory was foggy at best but he remembered the smell of sulfur, that meant that whatever had happened to him had been related to demons, and that was never good.

After making sure nothing was broken, he pushed to his feet and found his phone still in his pocket. That was great and all, but considering there wasn't any cell reception he put down his phone and instead focused on his surroundings. He continued to search the deserted town but didn't find much. Most of the buildings were broken down or locked from the outside. Also, as a last ditch attempt to escaped he tried to teleport - only to be left standing like a broken toy. Either he'd been zapped of his abilities, or there was something in this town which was hampering them.

Suddenly hearing a creaking noise from nearby, Sam grabbed a plank of wood, ready to fight, when suddenly the last person he would've expected turned the corner and jumped back startled when he noticed Sam holding the plank of wood high.

" _Andy_?" Sam asked in shock as he lowered the plank.

"Sam!" Andy Gallagher's eyes widened as he brought a hand to his chest as if to soothe his rapidly beating heart. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't know," Sam admitted.

"What am _I_ doing here?" Andy wanted to know.

"I don't know."

"Where are we?!" Andy was clearly on the verge of a nervous breakdown as he glanced around them.

"Andy, look, calm down."

"I can't calm down! I just woke up in freaking Frontierland!"

"What's the last thing you remember?" Sam wanted to know.

"Honestly? My fourth bong load." Andy shrugged. "It was weird. All of a sudden there was this really intense smell. Like, uh…"

"Like sulfur?"

"How did you know?"

Sam ran his hand over his face.

Suddenly a man's voice could be heard calling from the distance. "Hello? Is anybody there?"

"Oh god, who _else_ is here?" Andy bemoaned as together they ran to the side of another building to find a young, built African American guy, and a blonde girl with a noise piercing.

"Hey!" Sam reached them quicker than Andy did, his long legs giving him an advantage. "You guys alright?"

"I think so," the guy muttered. He didn't sound too sure.

"I'm Sam, and this is Andy," Sam introduced them.

"I'm Jake," the guy replied immediately.

"Lily," the blonde girl with thick black eyeliner informed them curtly as she looked around her, clearly unnerved.

"Are there any more of you?" Sam wanted to know.

"No." Jake shook his head.

"How did we even get here?" Lily looked even more unnerved as she hugged herself. "A minute ago I was in San Diego."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I went to sleep last night in Afghanistan," Jake informed her.

"The hell is going on here?" Andy wanted to know.

Sam, on the other hand, had an idea. "Let me take a wild guess: you have abilities."

Jake's eyes widened. "What?"

Lily's eyes were wide too.

Taking that as confirmation, Sam took in a deep breath. "I'm a witch."

"Yeah, and I can put thoughts into people's heads." Andy looked very excited to reveal that to the others. "Like, make them do stuff. But don't worry, I don't think it works on you guys."

"Of course it doesn't," another voice muttered as another figure emerged.

Sam's eyes narrowed as he turned to face the newcomer. " _Max_."

Max Miller stepped forwards, hands in his pockets. He didn't look as disconcerted as the rest of them as he came to stand next to him. "As Sam already knows, I'm telekinetic."

"Are you fucking serious?" Lily whispered angrily, drawing their attention to her. "So you get anyone to obey you - you have magic - and you can move things with your mind? That's great! I'd kill for something like that! Who the fuck did you three blow to get them?" Anger filled her eyes. "I touch people and their hearts stop! I can barely leave my house!" She tore her gaze away from them, clearly emotional and trying to hold it back. "My life's not exactly improved, so _screw you_. I just wanna go home."

"And what?" Jake snorted as he turned to face her. "We don't?"

"You know what?" She turned to face him as well, ever defiant. "Don't talk to me like that!"

"Hey, guys, please." Sam got in between them. "Look, whether we like it or not, we're all here, and so we all have to deal with this?"

"Who brought us here?" Andy wanted to know.

Sam let out a deep breath. "It's less of a 'who' and more of a 'what'."

"What does that mean?" Lily wanted to know.

"Jesus, is everyone so fucking dense?" Max rolled his eyes and shook his head, clearly disgusted. "He _means_ that a demon brought us here."

* * *

"And I thought _I_ had a fucked up home life," Bette muttered as she strolled leisurely, arms held up to better soak up the sunlight streaming down at them. They'd found some shoes in the room which, interestingly enough, fit them, and while that would've been convenient enough to seem off, the clothes waiting for them (also in their size) totally gave away that they'd been left for them to be found. "And this Azazel demon guy brought us here because he wants you to help him save the world?"

"So he says." Chloe shrugged. "Although how he sees taking us out of the Initiative only to drop us in the middle of nowhere as _helping_ … I don't know."

"What I don't get is why he took me too," Bette admitted as she kicked a pebble. "I mean, he doesn't even know me."

"Yes he does." Chloe turned to her. "Remember when I said that I know you in the alt universe? That's because you're a Special Child, but Second Generation. That means Azazel knows you, he's behind all the Special Children I know."

Bette's eyes widened. "Oh." She opened her mouth before pausing and turning slowly behind them. "Oh fuck me!" In seconds she grabbed Chloe's hand and took off running as fast as she can.

Not two seconds later, the sound of something heavy giving chase sounded behind.

* * *

"Give me a minute." Andy was visibly stunned and close to going into shock. "I'm still working through 'demons are real'."

The group walked. That was all they could do as they tried to get their heads around the weird situation. They were also looking for someone, anyone, but it seemed that they were the only ones here in this ghost town. The buildings were all silent, all dark, and in front of the one they were now crossing was rusty bell hung from a wooden structure, both clearly not having been used in many years.

"I've seen that bell before." Sam stopped walked and turned to it as his eyes widened. "I think I know where we are now: Cold Oak, South Dakota. It's a town so haunted that every single resident fled."

"Swell," Andy muttered. "Good to know we're somewhere so historical."

"Why in the world would that demon or whatever put us here?" Lily wanted to know. She'd been walking a couple of feet ahead of the group and was still a little distance from them. "And if it's so haunted, why haven't we seen one damned ghost?"

"I'm wondering the same thing," Sam admitted.

"Why do you even know this shit, man?" Jake questioned as he turned to face Sam. "What sort of freak looks up shit like this so much that he knows what fucking ghost town it is from one bell?"

"I've fought ghosts and demons since high school," Sam replied, maybe a little too harshly. "Know thy enemy."

"You know what?" Lily threw her hands up. "This doesn't matter! Clearly the only sane thing to do here is get the hell out of Dodge."

"Go on ahead." Max pointed to the distant woods that apparently encircled the town. "Your funeral though."

"He's right," Sam hated admitting. "The only way out is through miles of woods."

"Beats hanging out with demons and ghosts," she muttered.

"Lily, look, we don't know what's going on yet." Sam ignored Max's rolled eyes. "I mean, we don't even know how many of them are out there right now."

"Yeah, he's right," Jake surprisingly enough agreed. "We should—."

"Don't say 'we'!" Lily snapped angrily at him. "I'm not a part of 'we'! I have nothing in common with any of you!"

"Okay, look," Sam tried. "I know—."

"You don't know anything!" Emotion clogged her throat and strained her voice. "I accidentally touched my girlfriend."

As the group glanced around at each other, stunned, Sam sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever." She hugged herself tightly and wouldn't meet their eyes. "I feel like I"m in a nightmare, and it just keeps getting worse and worse."

"I've lost people too," Sam told her softly. "I have a brother out there right now that could be dead for all I know. We're all in bad shape." He moved closer. "But I'm telling you, the best way out of this is to stick together."

"Fine." Lily looked away with a sharp hiss before she frowned and turned her back on them. "What's that sound?"

"What sound?" Andy wanted to know as he stepped a little behind Sam.

Lily opened her mouth to answer when suddenly two figures rounded the building and ran straight into her. Well, one of them did, and her body and Lily's went tumbling over each other's on the ground. The one that hadn't hit Lily rolled to a stop and groaned before she looked up, and when Sam saw her face he recognized it.

" _Bette_?"

She groaned. "Do I know you, Mountain Man?"

"Oh my god," Lily whispered in breathless shock. "You're still alive."

"Yeah, but its _hurts_ ," another voice mumbled. "I think our heads hit when I collided with you."

Sam's eyes widened in shock as he turned to find Chloe on top of Lily, her hands touching the girl's skin as she pushed herself off of her. Not only was Chloe being there utterly shocking, but her visage was as well. Since the last time he'd seen her she'd lost weight - a lot of it. She was thin, had dark circles under her eyes, and her hair had all been buzzed off. There was also a scar in the back of her head. A surgical scar.

"The hell happened to you?" He hissed, and before he even realized it was there, pulling her up and looking her over in worry. "What happened?"

"Sam?" Chloe looked up at him in shock before she glanced around, noticed Andy and Max, and let out a deep sigh. "He's brought all of the living Special Children together."

Sam's only answer was to hug her.

"Who is she? Is she one of us?" Lily hurried to her feet and brushed herself off. "I could touch her! She didn't die!"

"No time for talking!" Bette was suddenly on her feet. "Run!"

That was when the fiery hellhounds rounded the corner after them and gave chase.

* * *

Sam Zabutu, Giles and Wesley were on their phones with every Council related contact they knew trying to either get information or help. Faith had gone out to "vent some stress" and had offered Buffy the chance to come along, but hadn't seemed bummed when Buffy declined the offer. Buffy was never much of a researcher, that had always been more Chloe and Sam's roles, but since neither of them were here, and one of them was definitely in danger, Buffy bit the bullet happily and sat down amongst the many tomes of demons. There was little they actually knew of Azazel, and she was doing her best to try and change that.

Sometime during the first twenty minutes she started getting a headache. Too many words. She was meant for slaying demons and protecting the hellmouth! Not _reading_. The headache grew continually worse until she was continually massaging her temples and trying to force back the wince.

"I've just gotten off of the phone with Alexander Dreyfus, a contact from—are you okay?" Giles reached her side.

"Migraine," Buffy muttered. "It's nothing, just—." She suddenly groaned and doubled over as an image of a bell flashed before her eyes very quickly. "Oh no."

"What is it?" Giles pressed his cold hand against her forehead. "Maybe we should take you to a doctor."

"It's not a migraine, it's a sight thingy. I'm Sight Girl Again." She looked up at him in horror. "I saw a bell."

"Can you identify the bell?" Giles wanted to know.

"Oh, of course I can, don't you know I'm an eager collector of the knowledge of all things bells?" She snarked before suddenly the vision came back and Buffy nearly fell off her chair as images assailed her.

 _Chloe, Sam and two other people Buffy didn't know stood with their backs pressed against the door, which was shaking behind them under a great strain. Something large was visibly trying to break in._

 _"This is what Ava saw," Chloe whispered softly to herself. And she looked like hell. Her cheeks were hollow, her skin pale, and her hair shaved off._

 _"What's going_ ** _on_** _?" Andy gasped breathlessly from the corner where he stood next to a blonde girl. "Those aren't ghosts, right?! They're like demon dogs! Are demon dogs even a thing?!"_

 _"Hellhounds," Chloe responded as she continued to press her back against the heaving door. "They're hellhounds, not fully matured though."_

 _"How would you know that they're not matured yet?" Sam wanted to know._

 _"That doesn't matter!" The other blonde girl snapped. "WHY is this happening to us?"_

 _"Are you guys serious?" Max asked from where he sat on the dust-covered floor, his back against the wall. "Am I the only one who understands what's going on or why we're specifically?"_

 _"What do you know?" Chloe yelled from where she fought with the others to keep the door closed._

 _"Yeah, dude!" A guy of African American descent asked as suddenly the pounding on the door stopped. Whatever had been outside trying to get in had either given up or were waiting for the humans to come out. "Spill!"_

 _"Wait,_ ** _you_** _don't know?" Max's eyes were wide on Chloe as he pushed to his feet. "Are you serious?" He let out a dark chuckle. "I'd thought you would've known even if these other idiots didn't."_

 _"What are you going on about?" The blonde by Andy wanted to know. "Why should that girl know what's going on?"_

 _Max shook his head, disgust on his face. "Because 'that girl' is the reason we're all here." He turned from her to Chloe. "Because she's not a girl. She's not even a person."_

 _Chloe went pale. "Shut up."_

 _Max raised an eyebrow. "So you_ ** _do_ **_know."_

 _"I said_ ** _shut up_** _!" Chloe snapped._

 _Sam turned to her with a confused frown. "What haven't you told me?"_

 _"It's not important," Chloe responded softly. "We just need to get you guys out of here."_

 _"Not important?" Max laughed darkly. "We're in Cold Oak because thanks to the spirit problems, there's going to no one around for miles to interfere with what's going to happen."_

 _"What_ ** _is_** _going to happen?" Andy wanted to know, his voice unsteady._

 _"You want to know why you could touch her and not kill her like you did your girlfriend, Lily?" Max turned to the blonde next to Andy. "I'll explain. Your girlfriend was human. She's not." He turned back to Chloe. "Alice explained it to me a very long time ago. Something happened a long time ago, something which caused infernal energies and magics to be trapped on earth. That energy is the most powerful and deadly thing in the world. Possession of it would make you a_ ** _god_** _amongst insects." He motioned to Chloe. "And 'that girl' is those energies in human form."_

 _Chloe closed her eyes and lowered her head._

 _Sam stared at her in horror._

 _"We're here because we're the only people alive in the world who have been changed by Azazel, who have been evolved enough to actually use her." Max motioned to her. "I've tapped into that power, for a second, and it was amazing. It was terrifying but so… so…"_

 _"If you don't stop talking now I'm going to kill you myself," Sam whispered, his voice so serious it was scary._

 _"Is it true?" Lily asked Chloe softly. "You're not human?"_

 _The blonde with the buzzed hair glanced up at Lily and nodded. "Yes, it's true."_

Suddenly Buffy gasped as the vision left her back in her seat, feeling nauseas and painful.

"Buffy? Buffy!" Giles was there. "are you with me?"

"Yeah, I think so." She still clutched at her head. "I saw Chloe, Giles. Sam was with her… as well as Max and Andy."

"That bodes ominously," Giles whispered. "What else did you see?"

"They said they were in some place called Cold Oak that's apparently haunted by ghosts and hellhounds. They say Azazel took them there." She looked up at Giles. "Max said something…"

Giles must've read her raw emotions on her face because his voice was calm and careful. "What is it, Buffy?"

"Chloe's the hellmouth in human form."

Giles' eyes widened as he collapsed onto the seat next to her. He pulled off his glasses and just stared blankly ahead of him. "That—that should be impos—but it—." He let out a deep breath and put back on his glasses. "We will deal with things one at a time." He turned to Buffy. "What's important now is that we know where they are. We have to get them out of there. Whatever Azazel is planning on doing he's going to do it in Cold Oak. The supernatural energy that is in that place is a perfect feeding ground for spells of the darkest kind."

"What's he going to do to them?" Buffy whispered as her hands fell from her head and hit the table in front of her.

"I don't know." Giles placed his hand on one of hers. "But we're not going to give him the chance to do it."

And that was when Buffy received the phone call from Dean about Sam's kidnapping.

* * *

They were looking for iron, silver, salt, any sort of weapon. It'd taken the others some time to think of salt as a weapon but they were quick understudies. Chloe was glad for the silence, for the fact that no one was really talking to anyone. She didn't want to talk, didn't want to elaborate on Max's revelation hat she wasn't human, wasn't even supposed to be in solid form. It was more than obvious that it'd hurt Sam to find out this way, and he was keeping to the side with Andy, but there was nothing she could do about that now. No.

"Salt!" Andy yelled as he held up two bags triumphantly.

Jake nodded his approval as he swung into his own palm the iron bar he'd ripped off of one of the machines they'd passed earlier on. His strength had been shocking, and when he'd noticed all the eyes on him he'd admitted that he'd realized his super strength when, in Afghanistan, a vehicle had flipped on a bad road and pinned one of his friends beneath. Jake had lifted it off of him as if it was nothing. Everybody had choked it up to a fluke adrenaline thing, and so had he, until he realized the super strength was there to stay.

"So you said this Ava girl saw someone hung and skinned?" Bette made up her nose. "If so I'm not freaking leaving your side, because you don't remember me in that vision so I'm probably the jackass on the rope."

Chloe instinctively grabbed Bette's hand and held it tightly. "No. You won't be." She glanced around at the others looking for things in the building. "None of you will."

* * *

"Cleveland." Cordelia Chase made up her nose in disgust as she glanced around her. "You know, I never got a mouth to hell being in California. But Cleveland? I can totally see it."

"How did my son get with such a snob?" John Winchester wanted to know with a shake of his head.

"Have you actually looked at me?" She asked in genuine confusion. "I'm gorgeous."

John really didn't know what to say to that.

Cordelia let a sigh escape her glossed lips as she turned towards the symbol he was carving into the ground. "I love him, you know. He doesn't deserve me." And yet she didn't sound like she truly believed that he didn't deserve her, more like she was used to saying shit like that and it came out as second nature. "And that's not just the hex you have on me talking."

John didn't like to think about that. He didn't want to think of it as him controlling this girl's will so that she would want to do what he wanted to do - that she'd give up her life willingly. He thought of it as him doing what had to be done - of him making the hard choices - to free his family from a curse which had destroyed the ones that they loved. He was saving his sons.

The ends justified the means. It had to.

"I would do this even if you didn't have the hex on me." Cordelia sat down next to the book he was copying the diagram from.

"Yeah, right," he muttered.

"It's okay that you don't believe me," Cordelia informed him softly. "Someone who's never truly loved someone else wouldn't get it."

He flinched and looked up at her. "I have loved someone else!"

"No. You haven't." Her brown gaze caught and held his. The certainty in her voice, in her countenance, humbled, scared, and chastised him.

He hated feeling that, and so he concentrated on what he was doing. "All that matters is that you're going to save Dean."

Cordelia didn't answer, she merely stared at the sigil silently.

* * *

They'd made sure the building was completely blocked up before they'd lined the doors and windows with salt. Considering this was supposed to be the most haunted place in America it was weird, and worrisome, that they had yet to see one ghost. What was going on? Where were they? Why weren't they trying to get in at them?

Sam shifted his weight, tried to get comfortable in the room the group had shacked up in - safety in numbers. He glanced over at Chloe, who was seated between Bette and Lily. She was visibly struggling to stay awake, closing her eyes every so often. Bette wasn't any better. Both girls looked exhausted, ragged, and itchy for some reason.

He wanted to talk to her so badly, not only about what Max had said about her, but about what had happened to her. Something bad had obviously happened, to both her and Bette. And yet he knew this wasn't the time for it. They needed to sleep through the night and then try to make it out of the woods the next day. Once they were free, and they could have a moment to themselves, he'd take her aside and get her to talk.

Right now the only thing that was important was getting everyone out alive and in one piece.

Movement behind Chloe caught Sam's attention, and his eyes widened as he jolted up when he saw a yellow eyed demon. "Chloe! Behind you!"

Chloe didn't react. No one did.

"Howdy, Sam." The demon, who could only be Azazel, smirked.

"I'm dreaming," Sam realized.

"What do you say you and I take a little walk?" Azazel motioned towards the door, which in his dream was unlocked and open.

Sending, Sam followed the demon outside. He stared at the demon and tried to figure out what his angle was. Why approach Sam like this? What did Azazel want? Because he obviously wanted _something_.

"You're awfully quiet, Sam," Azazel noted with a hint of amusement in his tone. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

"I'm gong to tear you to shreds," he replied immediately. "I sear to—."

Azazel chuckled, obviously far from scared. "When you wake up, tiger, you give it your best shot."

"Where's my brother?"

"Quit worrying about Dean, him and the vampire are fine." Azazel raised an eyebrow. "They're so fine they decided to continue on to Cleveland to find his girlfriend instead of looking for you. So I would take a page out of his page and worry more about you and your girlfriend."

"Why? You trying to kill us?" Because he was being really inefficient if that was the case.

"I'm trying to help you," Azazel replied. "THat's why we're talking. You're the one who I'm rooting for."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam asked in utter confusion.

"Welcome to the Miss America pageant!" Azazel threw his hands up as the ghost town suddenly became a pageant platform, with cheesy music and spotlight included. In fact, that spotlight was shining down right on Sam. "Why do you think you're here? This is a competition. There can only be one winner."

"What are you talking about?" Sam moved closer. "Why are we here?"

"Why do you think I made Special Children, Sam?" Azazel wanted to know.

"I don't know." Sam hated to admit that. "Why _did_ you make Special Children?"

"Because something is going to happen, something horrible which will destroy this world," Azazel responded immediately, his previous amusement gone. "I happen to like this world. It's much better than the one I come from, I do not plan on having to go there ever again. But to keep that from happening, to stop the end of this world and life as we know it, I needed her, and I need someone Special." He shrugged. "And to be honest, you're my favorite. You've managed to forge a connection organically, that gives you dibs in my books."

"What is this all about?" He asked. "What's coming?"

"It doesn't matter, not if this goes according to plan," Azazel replied vaguely before he snapped his fingers together.

Sam jolted out of his dream and his eyes met Chloe's the second she jolted up unsteadily to her feet. "What is it?"

"I don't know." She gripped at her chest, which heaved with her deep breasts. "But something _very_ bad is happening right now."

* * *

It was nightfall by the time they arrived in Cleveland. Dean drove like a demon, following Angel's directions towards the hellmouth, but the closer they got the directions were left behind. There was no need for them. The earth shook and the birds took to the air, and a large green light shone into the heavens. Even without a magical bone in his body, Dean knew that something was happening, that if he didn't hurry it would be too late. Every couple of minutes the tremors grew harder and harder, which made it increasingly difficult to stay on the road, but he only veered off of the road when he realized the direction towards the hellmouth was veered away.

As he drew nearer blast of something stalled his car, and the shock floored him as they came to a grinding stop. What the hell had that been? And why had it killed their vehicle.

"We need to get out," Angel hissed as he flung open his door.

Dean was already out and headed towards the trunk, which he opened. He lifted the false bottom and grabbed the first weapon he could find before taking off like a bat out of hell towards the direction of the tremors and the light. The closer he got he realized the hair on his arms stood on end as his skin goosed, but he ignored these warnings signs as he pressed on.

And then he broke through the of the Cleveland Metroparks he skidded to a stop in horror at what he saw.

A large, complicated sigil was carved into the ground, and the light shooting into the sky was coming from it. And there, standing with a blade to Cordelia's throat, was his father.

"What are you doing here?" John Winchester asked, his back to the glowing sigil over the rumbling earth.

"Dad, you can't do this!" Dean held his hands up, not wanting to scare the man into doing anything rash.

"This is the only way to save you," his father whispered hoarsely. "Do you really _think_ I want to do this? I don't! But I have to protect you! If I don't do this, if Cordelia doesn't - you're going to die! Do you understand? You'll die!"

"I don't care!" Dean snapped.

"I do!" John yelled back.

"Mr Winchester, there has to be another way to end your family's curse." Angel tried to take a step towards him but stopped when John pressed the knife's blade harder against Cordelia's throat. "Sir, you do not want to do this."

"No I don't," John agreed. "But I have to."

"Cordy?" Dean's gaze caught those of the woman he loved, and immediately he knew something was wrong with her. Her pupils were blown and her gaze distant, disoriented. It was as if she was looking at him but not registering that he was there. "What did you do to her?"

"It's not important," John hedged.

"It looks like some sort of a sedation spell," Angel mumbled as he eyed Cordelia. "I've seen it used before. There are many different types, some make their subjects not only docile, but suggestible."

In the blink of an eye John yanked out a gun and held it out towards Angel. "Wooden bullets, vampire. I'm aiming straight for your heart."

Angel's brown eyes caught Dean's hazels.

Dean let out a shaky breath as he turned to face his father once more. "I've never asked you for anything in my life." He could hear the desperation in his own voice and hated it. "But please, I'm _begging_ you, don't do this to me."

John Winchester stared into his eldest son's face and a single tear rolled down his cheek. "I'm sorry." A shot rang through the air and drove Angel backwards to the ground.

"No!" Dean looked up from a gasping, shot, Angel. "Dad! Don't do this!" He didn't realize he could move that quickly, it almost seemed inhuman as he withdrew the gun he'd had hidden behind the waist of his pants and shot his father in the hand.

Crying out in pain, John dropped the knife and staggered backwards.

Dean charged him, knocking him to the ground as they wrestled.

"Don't fight this!" John yelled. "You have to be strong! Dean!"

"Shut up!" Dean's fist met his father's face, and while his knuckles pained him he couldn't stop himself from doing it over and over again.

"Dean! Stop it!"

That voice, her voice, was the only thing that stayed his last blow. Pinning his father to the ground with his own body, one hand gripped at John's shirt and the other curled, ready to land another blow, Dean turned towards Cordelia to find her standing with her back to the glowing, infernal sigil, and knife in hand. Dean's eyes widened as he forgot all about his father, and in seconds he was on his feet. "Baby, what are you—?"

It was at that moment, with her hazel eyes on his own, that Cordelia Chase shoved the knife's blade into her own chest.

* * *

 **TBC**


	13. All Hell Breaks Loose (Part Two)

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Based on Supernatural Season 2 "All Hell Breaks Loose (Part 2)"

 **Be careful what you wish for….**

 **…or, aka, the reason I didn't want to write this…**

 **For you, Tina and Samone.**

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" _No_!" Dean raced towards his girlfriend, yet not fast enough to keep her from falling back into the sigil with a sickening thud. He stumbled to her side, not caring that he was stepping into the Hellmouth as he threw himself on his knees next to her. Tears clouded up his vision as his hands hovered over the blade, scared to leave it yet terrified that taking it out might make things even worse. "Baby, what have you _done_?"

Cordelia coughed, blood coated her lips. "This was selfish of me."

He eased his arms around her body, ignoring her blood as it poured out of her and onto the sigil, feeding its life. "How can you say that?" Dean eased her unto his lap, flinching every time she whimpered. Her cries hurt him as much as any physical pain ever could. "Baby…"

"Now, you'll never love anyone the way you love me," Cordelia whimpered, a hint of amusement on her lips, but it was gone in seconds as she sobbed, tears of pain accumulating in her tone. "It hurts, Dean."

" _Cor_." It took all his strength not to sob, to pretend to have everything together. "Hold on, baby. I'm going to get you to a hospital. You're going to be okay."

"I know I don't say this enough," Cordelia whispered. "But I love you."

"Don't." His voice choked up as he shook his head. "Don't say your goodbyes, _don't you dare_!"

"I have to," her voice broke. "I'm dying."

"No. NO. You're NOT!" He looked up, ready to pull her up into his arms, but it was then that he realized his father was once more on his feet, and had his gun aimed at them. "Dad." He begged, he pleaded, both with his eyes and voice. " _Please_."

"I'm sorry, son," John Winchester whispered. "But it's her or you, and I'll always pick you."

" _You son of a bitch_!" Dean screamed at him. "If you really cared about me you never would've done this!" He stared into his father's eyes. "Yourel killing the only good thing that's ever been in my life!"

Cordelia's trembling hand rose to Dean's cheek and drew his watery gaze back on her. "I've always been selfish my entire life. Let me be unselfish for _once_."

"No." He shook his head. "I _like_ you selfish. You're going to be a selfish, extremely difficult old woman who is going to make my life a living hell!" He hiccuped a sob. "Goddamn it, Cordelia! Why would you do this to me?!"

"It was going to end in death one way or the other," Cordelia whispered. "If I didn't do this _you'd_ have died as well. I couldn't—I can't have you upstaging me in my last great performance of the night."

Tears he hadn't even realized he was shedding bathed her face. " _Cor_ …"

"I l-love you, Dean." Cordelia's expression twisted in agony. "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone in my life. I never allowed myself to be vulnerable with anyone but you, and I—I need you to know that I don't regret one minute."

" _Stop it_ ," Dean's voice broke. " _Please stop_."

Two gunshots rang through the air, causing Dean to jolt and look up. He found his father with the gun trained on Angel. The vampire had tried crawling towards him while his back was turned, but John must've noticed because he'd filled the vampire with more wooden bullets before training that gun on Dean and Cordelia once more.

"It'll soon be over, son," John whispered.

Staring up at his father, Dean realized something that left him shaken. He'd seen a lot of evil in the world, and had detested so much of the creatures and evils he'd faced since becoming a part of the Scooby Gang, but there was no one or nothing whom he'd hated as much as he hated his father right now. Dean tightened his grip on Cordelia and struggled to his feet. "I'm sorry baby, I'm sorry, I know it hurts, but just hold on." He took a step, another.

"Don't." John shook his head. "Please, Dean."

"If you want to stop me, you'll have to shoot me." Dean stared his father in his eyes as he took another step, and another.

John's expression crumpled a second before he shot.

Pain blossomed in Dean's shoulder, the force of the blow sent him back as many steps as he'd taken, and he nearly dropped his girlfriend in his pain.

" _Don't_ ," Cordelia begged, her voice distance, her face buried in his bloodstained shirt. "Please, don't."

"I can't just let you die," Dean whispered to her, keeping his gaze firmly on her as he took a step, and then another, and then another.

" _Dean_ ," John begged.

Dean looked up at him. "Do your worse."

John's expression screwed up, his grip on his gun trembled. " _You'll die_."

" _You're_ killing me," Dean whispered back.

Shock, horror, shame and a million other emotions flashed over John's face as his grip on the gun continued to tremble.

Dean took a step, another, and then walked out of the sigil and passed his father.

John Winchester's hand fell to his side and he collapsed onto his knees.

Dean ignored the man as he stared down at Cordelia. "Hang on, Cor. I'm going to get you to a—." He froze when he realized just how still she was. "Cor? _Cordelia_?" His heart skipped a beat in utter terror. "NO! Cordelia! Don't you dare do this to me! CORDELIA!"

She remained unmoving in his arms.

Suddenly Dean felt the world moving around him at the speed of light, he was suffocating, and then, in the blink of an eye, he found himself standing outside of a hospital. "W-what?"

Kal-El stood in front of him. "Get her to the hospital."

Dean stared at Chloe's friend in utter shock. "How—?"

Kal-El, Clark Kent, whoever the hell he really was, took in a deep breath. "Chloe asked me to keep an ear open for you. She said that a Seer friend saw something horrible happening, and that she'd sent you to try and avoid it from coming true, but she begged me to keep an eye out for you just in case things went south."

Dean couldn't believe what he was hearing. Couldn't believe Chloe had gone to those lengths for them. Then again, hadn't she done this before? Hadn't she come out of hiding to save his life after that demon attack?

"Go, I'm heading back for Angelus," Kal-El informed him with a displeased look. "She wouldn't forgive me if I left him there." And with that he disappeared.

Dean stared at the empty space in front of him for a second before he turned and raced towards the hospital's front door. "HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!"

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Buffy didn't want her mother and Ted along for the ride, and yet both of them were in the airplane seat behind her and Giles. Behind them, interestingly enough, were Wes and Faith, who had decided they couldn't miss this. Or, more truthfully, Faith had decided that if the world was in danger two Slayers were better than just one, and Wes hadn't wanted to look like a wimp and stay behind since Giles was going with _his_ Slayer. They'd left Sam Zambuto at headquarters going over different occult texts and such, trying to find any context in which making the Hellmouth into human form could even be plausible.

The blonde Slayer shook her leg nervously. A part of her understood her mother not wanting to let go - scared that this might be yet another time in which Buffy left and never came back - but didn't her mother realize that her being there would only be a hindrance? Buffy would be so preoccupied worrying about Joyce that she wouldn't have her mind completely in this fight - and she needed to give this her all!

Giles placed his hand on Buffy's knee to try and stop its incessant moving. "You will tire yourself before we even get to South Dakota."

"Something's not right, Giles." Buffy looked up at him as something twisted in her chest. "My Spidey Senses are going off the chart. Something wiggy this way comes, and I don't know if we're going to be able to stop it this time."

"How many disasters have we encountered in the past?" Giles asked softly. "Never lose hope in yourself, Buffy. You are the most unorthodox Vampire Slayer to have ever existed, but in my humble opinion, you are the greatest one yet."

She stared up at him in shock. "You really think that?"

"I thought that went without saying." He cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Buffy, whatever we face when we reach South Dakota, we will face it the way we always do."

"The Scooby Gang isn't what it used to be," she whispered as she leaned in closer. "My _mother's_ here for crying out loud!"

He merely squeezed her knee. "Rest, Buffy. I will wake you when we land."

She observed him, unable to understand how he could be so calm, but in the end Buffy did as told. The Slayer leaned back against her seat and, after a moment's hesitation, rested her forehead against his shoulder. After another second she wrapped her arms around his, got more comfortable, and closed her eyes. Somehow, despite it all, she managed to fall asleep.

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Chloe ignored the looks on her as Bette gripped her forearm and swallowed mouthfuls of her blood. The second the veins in her head had started turning dark Chloe had known the younger girl needed another dose of her blood, that the Hellmouth energy was starting to poison her. It was why she'd sliced a neat cut across her forearm and offered it to Bette, who'd latched on immediately, no doubt beginning to feel the effects of the poison. The others didn't say anything but she could read the questions in their eyes, questions she had no interest in answering right know. Max had told them all things she hadn't been ready for them to know, so if they wanted more answers they could get them from him. He was a box full of knowledge anyway. It was his fault that Sam was acting so weird around her.

 _No, Sam's acting this way around you because he's realized you're not even a person_.

Swallowing back the pain welling in her chest, Chloe glanced around the room. It was going to be morning soon, and once the sunlight touched the town the group would make their way towards the forest, and go up against whatever might stand between them and the outside.

"Okay, I have to ask." Andy came to sit next to her. "What's with the bloodletting?"

Bette's gaze rested on him, something odd behind her orbs.

He gulped and then looked at Chloe.

"She's suffering from Hellmouth poisoning," Chloe responded. "It's like when we last met."

"Right, I remember." Andy nodded. "But I don't remember there being blood involved last time."

"I didn't realize my blood would help with Hellmouth poisoning last time," Chloe admitted.

"Is it even safe for us to be in the same room as you guys if there's Hellmouth poisoning involved?" Andy asked curiously. "Last time you didn't even let me into the same house."

"It's different, this is internalized," Chloe informed him. "The energy didn't wash over Bette, it's inside of her. So it shouldn't be contagious."

"Anyone else feel like this is way over their heads?" Jake wanted to know.

"Here here," Lily whispered.

Max rolled his eyes from his position in the darkest corner of the room.

"What happened to you?" Sam finally spoke as his gaze rested on her and Bette. "Who did that to you?"

Chloe met his gaze for a second before her greens lowered to Bette's head. "They call themselves The Initiative. They have demons, witches, Special Children, all locked up in some underground base where they experiment on them and make them fight each other to the death."

"I've heard about them." Max frowned as he leaned forwards. "Alice said that a couple of witches from her old coven went missing, and they believe this Initiative is behind it."

Chloe nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised."

"What do they want?" Lily wanted to know.

"To study us, control us," Bette mumbled as she finally pulled away, the whole bottom of her face covered in dripping blood. "To find a way to make us into weapons they can aim at whoever they want to."

"How did they even know about you?" Max wanted to know.

"I gave myself over to the Watcher's Council so that they could keep Azazel from taking me," Chloe informed him softly. "Gwendolyn Post, one of the Watchers, betrayed her own people - got them all killed. I was taken from them."

"Why were you brought out with her?" Max wanted to know as he stared at Bette. "What's so special about you?"

"Excuse me?" She licked the blood off of her, and wiped what she couldn't lick.

"You said there were other Special Children held prisoners, but they aren't here now, are they? _You_ are." He raised an eyebrow. "If you ask me, that makes you and Mountain Man here my two biggest rivals."

"Rivals?" Lily asked in confusion as she turned to face him.

"Obviously we've been brought here for something, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who got visited in his dreams yesterday." Max raised an eyebrow. "This is a competition in which only _one_ of us gets out alive. We're all around the same age, we're from the same generation, we're all similar except for _her_." He eyed Bette with a raised eyebrow. "That, coupled with the fact that Chloe's freaking _feeding her her blood,_ and that there's _obvious_ tension between Chloe and Sam - makes me think that this kid's got an advantage over _all_ of us."

"By that logic, you, Andy and Sam would have an advantage over Lily and I just because you've all met Chloe before we ended up here," Jake argued, drawing their attention to him.

"Oh please," Bette muttered from where she sat. "It's obvious who the _real_ threats are here, and it's not _me_."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked in wary confusion.

"Oh, come on you guys, it's obviously these two right here." She pointed between Jake and Andy.

" _Me_?" Andy squeaked. "How in the world am _I_ one of the real threats? I mean, look at me!"

"Well, yeah, physically you're not intimidating, but if we're talking about abilities here - I've heard you guys talking. Lily mentioned you can control people's minds. As in, you could tell us to kill each other - or ourselves."

"Our abilities don't work on each other," Andy was quick to point out.

"Not yet at least, but if this is really a competition there's a very good chance that that rule will change." She raised an eyebrow. "And if that happens, there's nothing any of us could do fast enough to keep you from getting into our heads."

The others shared uneasy looks.

"I wouldn't do that," Andy promised. "It's not the type of person that I am."

"He's right," Chloe responded immediately, protectively. "I know Andy, I can vouch for him."

"It doesn't matter, really, not while we can't use our powers against each other… unless our power is such that is really _can_ be used against the other," Bette pointed out. "And that's why it's a tie." She motioned to Jake. "You're not like the rest of us. You don't have some fanciful, seriously fringe science fiction-y power. You're just really strong. That's a natural occurrence in nature if adrenalin and such are involved. Andy can't mind-trick us, but you could still choke each and every one of us, or break our bones or whatever." She raised an eyebrow. "So, again, I'm not the threat here."

Max raised an eyebrow. "I hate to say it, but the kid makes a compelling point."

"Dude, _dude_ ," Andy complained. "I'm a pacifist, okay? I don't want to hurt anyone, and I don't want to be hurt."

"We're not the enemy here," Sam announced, drawing the attention to himself. "Azazel is. Don't forget that."

"He's right," Jake agreed. "A demon's doing this to us. There doesn't have to be any sense or reason behind anything."

"Exactly!" Andy pipped in nervously. "We have to work together. We can't fight each other, that's what that thing wants."

"Look, daylight's going to break in a couple of hours." Jake stood, looking every bit the soldier. "Let's just get the hell out of here when that happens, and once this damned town's at our back we can talk about whatever comes next."

"There are Hellhounds out there," Max reminded him. "As well as a demon who took the trouble to bring us all the way here. What the hell makes you think that either of those things are just going to let us _leave_?"

"We have to try," Jake announced with determination.

"He's right," Andy whispered. "We _have_ to try."

Chloe wrapped up her arm, which had stopped bleeding.

She didn't want to say it, but she had a sinking feeling that Max was right.

The forces which had brought them to this town weren't going to let them walk out without a fight.

The blonde looked up at Sam, wondering what sort of barrier Azazel had around this place. Not only couldn't Kal hear her, but Sam hadn't teleported them away yet. That meant that he couldn't, otherwise she knew him enough that he would've done so. So that meant that there was some sort of cocooning spell over this town. And if that was so, then Azazel was dead serious about whatever he was doing here.

 _How is this saving the world?_

What was with this whole shebang? Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell her what the supposed danger threatening the world was, and what she could do to help stop it? Why make them jump through all these hoops?

 _Azazel, what are you really after?_

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"What the hell is going on?" Lucy asked as she stared down at Angelus - uh, Angel - as he lay motionless on her expensive Persian rug, bleeding out onto it and totally ruining it. When she'd realized Kal wasn't in bed with her, and had heard noise downstairs she hadn't expected to find Angel here. Hell, he was the last person she'd ever expected to see again, and to see him here in this condition - what had happened? And how was Kal involved? _Please, don't let a drunken Spike be behind this!_

"Wooden bullets." Kal leaned over Angelus - _Angel, Lucy, he's the Soul now!_ \- and ripped open his shirt to reveal the bloody mess that was his chest. "Two are really close to his heart. One - I'm surprised it didn't pierce him." He looked up at Lucy. "I can try and burn them out, but given where they are, I could easily end up killing him instead of burning away the wood."

"What happened?" Lucy wanted to know as she hurried towards the intercom to call for one of the maids. They'd need a _lot_ of blood if Angel survived this, so they were going to have to dip into the supply they kept in the fridge reserved just for blood.

"Some Hunter shot him," Kal responded immediately as he concentrated on Angel's chest, no doubt using his X-ray vision to examine the bullets and their precise locations. "Shot Dean as well, and Cordelia was bleeding out. I could barely hear a heartbeat." He looked up at her. "I took them to the hospital but with the condition she was in - he was covered in her blood - she'd bled out too much. I don't know if she's going to make it."

" _Oh no._ " Lucy had never met these people, but she'd heard so much about them from Chloe that she felt she had.

Kal let out a huff. "I'm going to need help keeping him still in case he wakes up while I'm burning into him."

Lucy hurried towards a vase from the Ming dynasty and returned to where they were. "If he wakes up I'll knock him right back out."

Kal smiled up at her. "That's my girl."

"What the hell is going on here?" A confused voice asked.

Lucy groaned and turned to see her sister, Lois, in her pajamas. "Go back to bed, Lois."

"Oh my god, is that guy bleeding out?" Lois hurried towards them and picked up the phone, no doubt to call an ambulance. "We need to call a doctor! He'll die!"

"Too late for that," Kal muttered. "Like, a couple hundred years too late."

"Huh?" Lois turned to him, phone still in hand.

"I can't wait any longer," Kal muttered as he turned his attention back to Angel. Seconds later, his laser vision activated, burning into Angel's chest.

Lois squeaked and dropped the phone. "Lucy? Your boyfriend can shoot fire out of his eyes."

Angel's face shifted into it's demon visage and his eyes flew open.

Lucy brought the vase down, hard, knocking him right back out. Despite everything, her lips twitched in a smile. She'd wanted to do that every since the Soul had returned.

Lois continued to squeak. "W-what—what the _hell_ was wrong with his face?"

Lucy sighed. She'd wanted to keep Lois out of the demon world, but it seemed like there was nothing she could do anymore. The secret was out. "Lois, use the intercom and tell Francois to bring up as much O neg as he can find in our blood fridge. Oh, and tell him to warm it up."

"You have a _blood fridge_?" Despite looking like she might be ill, Lois was already halfway towards the intercom. "Lucy, what the HELL is going ON?"

"Just do it, Lo!" Lucy snapped as she hurried to look for something else to knock Angel over the head with in case he woke up again.

Tonight was going to be a long night.

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The moment the plane arrived in South Dakota, the group rented a Dodge Durango, threw the many bags of weapons they'd only gotten threw customs thanks to a cloaking/masking spell Giles had cast, and piled into the vehicle. Cold Oak was not in the GPS system, but Giles had brought his maps along and was very visibly pleased with himself for being proven right in that "technology cannot be trusted". Ted had taken the driver's seat, with Giles riding shotgun as navigator. That left Faith and Wesley in the back seat, having some sort of conversation that sounded very much like Faith telling Wesley that his balls were about to descend - and Wesley stammeringly announcing 'Ha! The last laugh's on you! They descended years ago!'. Faith didn't seem to believe him.

This seating arrangement left Buffy in the middle set of seats next to her mother. The woman was clearly nervous, fidgeting, her hands played with the ends of her shirt.

"Mom." Buffy reached out and held her hand. "You shouldn't be here. We don't know what we're driving towards, but it'll be dangerous."

Joyce smiled a sad smile as she sniffled. "Honey, do you remember when you finally told me you were a Slayer?"

"The Parent Teacher meeting at school," Buffy remembered. "That wasn't pretty."

"Poor Gabe and I," Joyce chuckled softly. "That was a very hard way to find out. He might've been on the phone with Jenny for answers all the time after that, but I was on the phone with _him_ as well."

Buffy's eyes widened. "Really? I hadn't realized that. He never said anything."

"I asked him not to, it was still very hard for me to understand, to accept, but it explained so much." Joyce shook her head. "I felt like the world's worst mother for never realizing what was actually happening with you. I—when you left—I figured you'd realized it too. That you were better off without me holding you back."

" _No_ , mom." Buffy squeezed her hand. "You've been the world's best mother! None of this has been your fault! And I've _never_ blamed you for anything!" She took in a deep breath. "I know that it couldn't have been easy having me for a daughter - not with everything I put you through. But you still chose me over everyone else, even over dad." Her voice choked. "I love you mom, and I'm sorry if I haven't said or showed it enough."

Joyce stared teary-eyed at her daughter before embracing her tightly. "I love you so much, Buffy, and I'm so proud of the woman you've become."

Buffy couldn't speak, her voice was too thick with emotion, her throat completely clogged. So in lieu of speaking, she merely held on tightly to her mother.

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A scream broke Chloe out of the sleep she hadn't even realized she'd fallen into. She'd been having a dream, a very realistic one, and finding out that it hadn't been real was disorienting. What had she been dreaming of though? It felt important.

She stumbled to her feet to find Lily continuing to scream while staring down at…

…Andy and Jake.

Chloe's eyes widened in horror as she hurried towards Andy's cold body. He lay on the ground, a look of terror on his face. His throat had been slashed, and his blood stained his clothes and skin. Next to him was Jake. Just like Andy, there was a look of horror and pain on his face, and not only was his throat cut, but his mouth was open, proving the his tongue had been ripped out. She was too horrified to check whether the same had been done to Andy.

Lily continued to scream as she grabbed her hair, clearly losing it.

"Will someone _shut her up_?" Max snapped as he stumbled to his feet.

Lily continued to scream.

Bette pushed up to her feet, wrapped a discarded cloth around her palm, and then slapped Lily so hard the blonde's head swung.

"No, _Andy_." Sam leaned over him, eyes wide in horror. " _No_."

"How did they get in here?" Lily sobbed as she gripped her face. "I thought we were protected! You said we were protected!"

"This wasn't done by any of those things outside, the bodies would've been shredded to pieces." Sam stared down at the remains. "Their throats were cut by something sharp, like a knife. There's also no smell of sulfur around so Azazel didn't come here."

"What are you saying?" Lily trembled as she hugged herself.

"He's saying that one of us did it," Max responded casually.

"The hell we did!" Lily snapped at him. "We _needed_ them to help us get out of here!"

"He's right," Bette muttered as she took in a deep breath. "One of is did this. And I practically told them to do it when I pointed them out as the greatest threats here." She ran her hand down her face. "I didn't think someone would actually _kill_ them though."

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" Lily hissed in disgust. "This is _your_ fault! We're all going to die down here because of _you_!"

"I _will_ slap you again," Bette threatened.

" _Enough!"_ Sam got into the middle of them, eyes narrowed. "Fighting isn't going to change the fact that one of us did this! One of us is a killer."

"Only one of us?" Max wanted to know in an amused tone. "Oh, come on, Sam. We're _all_ killers in this room, whether we wanted to be or not." He pushed away from the wall he'd leaned against. "I killed my father and his asshole brother for the years of constant abuse they put me through. Lily accidentally killed her girlfriend when she touched her. Alice did all sorts of research into Chloe once she realized who she was, and we discovered not only has she killed more than her own share of demons and people, but _so have you_ , at least where demons and vampires come into play. The only one here we don't have proof of being a killer is Pint-Sized, but I know that look in her eyes. She's definitely ended someone's life." Max chuckled as he folded his arms over his chest. "So not only could it have been any one of us, but other than Chloe, every single one of us have a _reason_ to kill them."

"But that could be what she was hoping we'd think." Lily turned to Chloe suspiciously. "Why exactly _is_ she here? She has to be a part of this competition. What if she's knocking off the ones she doesn't like?"

Chloe glared at her, unable to believe that someone would believe that.

Max laughed. "Don't be an idiot, if it was _her_ knocking us off you or I would be dead instead of Andy." He made a face. "For some reason she seemed fond of the little pipsqueak."

How was it that there was a situation in which she disliked someone more than Max?

"Look, this just goes to prove that staying in here isn't an option anymore," Bette whispered, her hands clenched at her sides. "We need to leave."

" _No_!" Lily sobbed, fear in her tone. "Those things are out there!"

"Bette's right," Sam finally spoke up once more. There was a disturbed yet determined expression on his face as he took in a deep breath. "We can't stay here any longer. One of us is killing the others, we have to make a run for it."

Bette nodded her agreement.

Max raised an eyebrow. "This should be fun."

Lily collapsed to her knees and broke out into loud, uncontrollable sobs.

Chloe gazed between everyone, unable to fight the feeling that there was something else going on here. They were playing into someone's hands. Azazel's? Or someone else's?

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Why wouldn't anyone tell him what was going on? The doctors had wheeled Cordelia away on an gurney, while Dean had been forced to have himself checked out. The bullet had been removed from his shoulder by a very confused doctor who'd wanted to know who in the world owned wooden bullets. There were so many questions he was receiving - mostly who had attacked him and his girlfriend, but try as he did to answer they he could only get questions as to Cordelia's wellbeing out passed his lips. The nurses were whispering that he was in shock, and he figured that he very well might be, but everyone's lack of answers weren't helping!

Another thing that wasn't helping: no one was answering their cell phones.

Not Chloe.

Not Buffy.

Not even Giles - who hated his phone yet still kept it on him.

Hell, Dean had even called the Sullivans but only got their voicemail.

Where were everyone?

"Mr Winchester?" A voice called.

He turned towards in desperately to see a man in scrubs coming near. "Doctor! Is she okay? I've been out here asking so many questions but no one's answering them!"

"Mr Winchester," the doctor cleared his throat as they moved to the corner. "We've done everything we can for your girlfriend, but we've been unable to patch her wound together successfully. We've never seen anything like this. Once we close one, another opens nearby. She's lost so much blood, and her heart can't take much more. We've moved her somewhere to rest, and we'll have a nurse bring you to her. You should be with her."

Dean stared up numbly. "What are you saying? Are you saying you can't do anything? That you can't save her?"

"I'm saying," the doctor sighed. "That you should be with her during her last moments."

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"So, not only do vampires exist, but so do demons - and the whole time Chloe was missing she was with this guy in the Demon World… and you guys _knew_ but didn't tell anyone? Not even _me_?" Lois looked up at her sister, unable to believe all that she'd learnt in the last half hour. "Oh, yeah, and your boyfriend's an alien."

"He prefers Intergalactic Traveller," Lucy responded tiredly. "And yes, to everything you said before."

The betrayal really hurt, but it wasn't at the forefront at the moment. Why had everyone kept her in the dark? She'd thought her cousin was dead for three years! Why hadn't anything thought to tell her the truth? A part of her got Uncle Gabe, but not Lucy, especially when there was so much that Lucy had kept from her.

"Spike's a vampire too," Lucy added. "He's actually Angel's grandchilde, which means he's family to Chloe… and through her, _us_."

"So Billy Idol really _did_ steal his look?"

Lucy nodded. "He's really touchy about that."

Running her hand over her hair, Lois let out a huff of stress. "Wow. This is a lot to take in." She chuckled darkly. "My cousin is with a vampire, and my sister is with an ET."

"IT," Lucy corrected immediately. "And Chloe isn't actually with Angel right now. They've broken up. It was a real messy situation after he got his Soul back."

"Wait, he didn't have a Soul?" Lois squeaked, not sure she could take much more of this in one night.

"Not in the good old days," Lucy mumbled, clearly missing his soulless self.

Seriously - who the hell was her sister, really?

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When they'd emerged from the building, it was to find no sign of ghosts, hellhounds, or Azazel. All in all it felt like a trap, but they didn't have another choice, not after Andy and Jake's deaths. Sam still didn't understand how someone could've killed them both without even _one_ of them waking up. There was more going on here than met the eye, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't figure out exactly what. Or who. Who had killed Andy and Jake? Why had they killed them? Was it really because of what Bette had said? Or was this yet another part of the competition? Was someone playing for keeps? And if so, who'd said yes to Azazel's little game?

The most obvious choice would be Max, who'd proven he had no problems killing.

The next option was Lily, but he doubted that she'd have the strength to kill Jake - much less yank his tongue out.

Sam's gaze rested on the only one of them who was hopped up on Chloe's blood, someone he knew (from his experiences in the alternate universe) wasn't at all bothered by the idea of killing. If he closed his eyes he could still see Bette as a living fire ball, slowly burning those around her, melting their skin right from their bones. Sure, fire was her go-to ability, but who said that drinking Chloe's blood hadn't awakened something else inside of her?

He stared at his hand and tried to summon a ball of light to help them in the dark, but once more his magic was nulled deep inside of him.

"What does it mean?" Lily asked softly as she joined his side. They'd been walking in complete silence through the deserted town for a while now, and the forest could be seen in the distance, growing ever closer.

"Huh?"

"Telekinesis, Mind control, Super strength, Killing touch… I get those, they're fairly straight forwards." She hugged herself as she sidled him with a sidelong glance. "But what does 'Witch' mean? Isn't that like a whole different thing?"

That was a good question, actually. Andy, Jake, Max and Lily - even Bette - all specialized in one thing, whereas Sam had a bunch of different things mixed together. He cast spells. He'd always considered that his ability, but the more he thought about it, the more something just didn't seem right. Why _was_ his ability so different from the others?

"Do you have a wand or something?"

Sam snorted at the thought. "No, uh, that's for people who need help focusing their intent. Kind of like training wheels on a bike."

"Oh." Lily pursed her lips and then chuckled softly. "That makes me see Harry Potter in a different light."

He smiled softly in agreement.

"So how do you cast magic?" Lily asked curiously. "Is it with your voice - do you use spells - or is it a _mind_ thing?"

"It usually involves some chanting, amongst other things," he admitted, and once more it hit him as odd that he had to do these extra things when the others couldn't even control their abilities, not really. It came that naturally to them, that instinctive. Sure, some of his magic was nonverbal, but for the most part he had to prepare in advance and—.

"Good to know," Lily announced before suddenly her arm flung out, and heat blossomed in his throat.

Sam's eyes widened as he gripped at his throat. It was sliced open, much like Andy and Jake's had been, and as blood gushed down his shirt he found himself drowning in it, unable to breathe as he collapsed to his knees.

"SAM!" Chloe screamed as she turned towards them.

"It was _him_!" Lily stood over him, a shard of glass held in her hands. "I _saw_ him, okay? That's why I had to pretend that I hadn't! Why I had to blame you guys! I couldn't let him know that I saw him kill Andy and Jake!"

"Get away from him!" Chloe raced towards them.

"I have to do this!" Lily screamed as she raised the glass shard high, ready to bring it down on Sam's head and end it all. "I'm sorry, but I don't want to die like they did!"

"Put the knife down!" Bette ordered.

"Stay away!" Lily ordered as Chloe got closer and closer. "Don't come any nearer!"

Chloe didn't listen to her, didn't even acknowledge her, her eyes on Sam.

 _DOn't come_ , he tried to tell her. _She'll hurt you!_

But Chloe couldn't hear him, instead of running away she came closer.

"I said STAY AW—!" Lily shifted to swing at Chloe as the other girl got within touching distance, but right before the shard could pierce Chloe's skin, Lily's body was flung back with brutal violence.

Confusion filled Sam as Chloe collapsed next to him and bit into her own wrist, opening up her earlier wound so she could force her blood into him, but Sam's confusion died when he realized Max had been behind Chloe. The dark blonde still remained standing, hand outstretched in the direction Lily had been thrown to. He looked utterly horrified, sickened, at whatever he was staring unblinkingly at.

Bette stumbled into step next to him, her eyes wide, her lips parted. "Well, at least I know the skinned person wasn't _me_."

"What?" Max's voice was shaky and ill as he turned to her.

Chloe pressed her hand hard against Sam's throat, sealing the leak as best as she could as she pressed her bleeding wrist into his mouth. "Drink, Sam. DRINK!"

He tore his gaze away from Max and Bette, and instead concentrated on Chloe's face. Tears were blinding her eyes as she stared down at him, looking even paler than she'd been before. She was crying, her tears fell unto his face and washed some of the blood away as he continued to drink as much of the blood as a slit throat allowed. He could feel the world slowly turning dark, sounds around him distorted, the last thing he saw was Chloe's sobbing face as she begged him not to close his eyes.

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 **Almost there…**


	14. All Hell Breaks Loose (Part Three)

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Based on Supernatural Season 2 "All Hell Breaks Loose (Part 2)"

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"He's dead, isn't he?"

"Shut up."

Chloe ignored them as she stared down at Sam's face. His eyes were closed, his body still. He wasn't breathing. " _Sam_ ," she begged softly, and yet he didn't respond. " _No_." She wanted to search for a pulse but she daren't take her hand away from his neck, or her wrist from his mouth. The blood loss was starting to get to her, she'd already given Bette blood twice before now, her body was complaining, fighting, but she wouldn't stop. No. "Someone check his pulse!"

"He's dead, Chloe," Bette whispered. "He's gone really pale."

"CHECK HIS PULSE!" Chloe screamed as she closed her eyes and lowered her head.

Surprisingly enough it was Max who knelt down next to her and checked Sam's wrist for a pulse. "I'm not finding anything."

"Check for a heartbeat," Chloe begged.

Max sighed and then did as told. He leaned over, pressed his ear to Sam's chest, and listened. "Nothing."

"No." She shook her head in denial. "NO!" The scream that ripped out of her was unlike any sound she'd ever uttered before, she could feel it in the core of her bones, in every inch of her skin. " **NO**!"

"Well, I didn't see _this_ coming," an all too familiar voice announced as Azazel stepped out of the darkness, surrounded by countless hellhounds. "I thought Sammy and Max would end up battling to the death. I didn't expect Lily to just shock everyone like that." He raised an eyebrow. "I didn't really see her as competition, to be honest. Much too much of a crier."

Chloe fell silent as she stared down at Sam's paling face. If Azazel was here it only meant one thing - she'd failed - Sam was dead.

"Well, congratulations, Max, on being the last contender breathing, thus winning Little Miss Hellmouth!" Azazel threw his hands in the air, causing confetti he'd been holding to fall down on them. "There's no crown, but there will be glory!"

"Wait, what about her?" Max asked as he pointed to where Bette stood.

"She was never part of the competition, consider her in a different weight category, Junior Edition! Her generation were a backup in case yours ended up being a disappointment." Azazel shook his head and chuckled. "I brought her along because Chloe seemed fond of her. Plus, she's so cute."

Bette merely raised an eyebrow at him.

"I have to say though that I was a _little_ disappointed at this anti-climactic end, I expected more of a show," Azazel admitted with a pout before clearing his throat. "Now that we've gotten all the preliminaries out of the way, on to the main course!"

Chloe remained knelt on the ground, and yet her gaze had slowly shifted from Sam's pale face to his blood, which covered her hand and tinted it red. Her grip trembled, but even as the color continued to drain out of Sam, and his body slowly surely grew colder, she refused to let go. " _Sam_ , you can't do this to me. _Please_ , Sam."

"Cheer up, Buttercup, his death won't have been in vain." Azazel turned to Max. "You can feel it, can't you? Their strength is now in you, and it makes you strong enough to do what needs to be done."

" _What_ needs to be done?" Max wanted to know as he finally stood. "Alice kept telling me that there was some grand meaning behind all of this, that I needed to make sure I was the one who won, but she never told me _why_. WHY are you doing this?"

"To save this world, and a couple of others," Azazel responded.

"Right." Bette folded her arms over her chest. "A demon wants to save the world."

"A demon wants to save the paradise that's his for the picking, yes." Azazel nodded, his expression straight forwards. "I've done things, made deals, acts you would never believe possible. I've gone to every reality in which Chloe is the Hellmouth - there are more than you think. And I've killed them all. All except _her_."

Chloe finally looked up at him at that. She thought about the reality in which both she and Sam had entered the consciousness of their counterparts - the reality where she'd left Ava. Was that version of her really dead as well?

"Why?" Bette grounded out past clenched teeth.

"Gathering," Max whispered. "It's like what he did to _me_. Killed the others in sanctified ground - and whatever inhuman essence he put into them came to me - the next appropriate vessel."

"Ding ding! So you've got something in that noggin!" Azazel grinned. "Except, it's a little more _complicated_ with her. I mean, she's _literally_ the Hellmouth, means I couldn't exactly bring that with me. I'd have died, and I'm doing all of this to live a very long life, so I had to do the deed and leave the reality as a… container… for the energies until everything was done. Because, you know, with her _dead_ , what's there to keep the energies at bay? Hellmouth poisoning is a _nasty_ thing."

Chloe's eyes widened in absolute horror at the implications. If he'd killed the other versions of her which were Hellmouths, and if that'd caused the Hellmouth energy inside of her to escape free into the world - it could have a huge environmental effect! Depending on just how long the poisoning had lasted - as well as the degree - it could've destroyed towns upon towns of innocent lives! Not to mention polluting water and crops!

"Do you know why you were created, Chloe?" Azazel asked softly, drawing her attention from her mental horrors and back onto him. "No, of you don't, everyone's been keeping things from you. Me as well." He took in a deep breath. "Truth be told, you were only created as the embodiment of the Hellmouth - every Hellmouthy version of you was created - so that the Hellmouth would mask your scent, your energy, your essence."

She frowned. "What—?"

"You had a form before you were this person, creation," he informed her in a severe tone. "A beautiful form, a coveted one. That was why they chose to do what they did. The best witches of a number of realities understood the danger you posed in your true form, and came upon an idea to split your essence, weakening it, and masking it with the darkness of the Hellmouth." He smiled. "You shone too brightly, Chloe. He'd have found you immediately had he escaped at that time."

"Who?" Chloe asked softly.

Azazel ignored the question. "Your essence split into different bodies, each masked by the Hellmouth's energy, you were better hidden, yes, but what they failed to understand was that by doing so they gave him more opportunities to find you. One vessel is harder to hide it, yes, but your energy had melded with the Hellmouth. One vessel is all that is needed now. And one vessel is easier to hide, to keep hidden." He moved closer. "I'm going to unite your errant energies, make you whole, and then I'll save this world."

"How?" Chloe wanted to know.

"You're going on a trip," Azazel responded immediately. "I"m going to send you to a world without magic, one where he'll never find you. I great evil is coming for you, one which will use you to destroy the world, and while I like to think myself as evil, this person is so much greater than even I."

" _Who_?" Bette pressed. " _Who_ are you so scared of?"

"He goes by many names, but the one we mostly use is the Glorified One." Azazel didn't deny that he was scared of this other person. That scared her. "Chloe, you're a key to a door which must _never_ be opened, because if it is, it'll tear apart the fabric of reality. And I can't let that happen. I like living here too much."

"So your solution is to send me to this world without magic?" Chloe lowered her gaze once more to Sam's pallid face. Sam had died for something like this? It left a sour taste in her mouth. "That won't work. He'll find out about me, and when he did he'd track you down and figure out where I am."

"I've already thought that through," Azazel responded with a frown. "That is why the spell that will take you to the world without magic will also remove all memory of you from those who knew you. You'll be a fleeting memory they'll forget upon waking up."

Oh god. He was _serious_!

"The spell will work to fit you into that world, you'll have a past, a future," Azazel announced immediately. "You can finally live a _normal_ life as a _human_. In a world without magic, there is no such thing as a Hellmouth, or a Key. You will be able to live out the rest of your lives as normal human beings - as you _should've_."

"Wait, _lives_?" Max's voice choked. "What do you mean _lives_?"

"Why do you think I needed to find a powerful Special Child?" Azazel wanted to know with disgust. "I need you so that we can breach the barrier between worlds, long enough to not only collect the Hellmouth energies awaiting their vessel, but for you three to make your way to the world without magic. It'll take the strongest of magics to open a door to that world, and it won't last for more than a couple of seconds." He paused and eyed the shocked guy curiously. "You have her energy in you, Max. You can't _stay_. Neither of you can." He chuckled. "Do you think I've let the other Special Children live? _No_. They're dead. Every single one of them. The only ones still alive are you and Bette."

Bette's eyes widened.

" _No_." Max shook his head. "I can't—I won't! Alice—I won't leave her!"

"You have no choice, Alice doesn't want to go," Azazel replied with no sympathy whatsoever. "And you're not staying."

Tears filled Max's eyes as he shook his head. "She wouldn't do that. She—she wouldn't abandon me like that! She's all I have!"

"Alice would never live in a world in which she didn't have the power of witchcraft," Azazel explained to him as if to a child. "She groomed you because she knew the Glorified One would come one day, and she needed to make sure there was at least _someone_ strong enough to do what had to be done."

" _No_ ," Max whispered shakily. "That's not true!"

Azazel made an annoyed little sound in his throat. "C'mon Champ, let's be reasonable here. A woman like that doesn't just get with a kid like you because of _love_. Either she's bored, sexually frustrated, or using you. My guess is that it was all three."

"We love each other," Max growled out as his whole body trembled in emotion. "I won't leave her. I won't go." His eyes narrowed as he angrily wiped the tear from them. "And there's _nothing_ you can do to convince me otherwise."

" _Fine_." Azazel rolled his eyes. "Have it _your_ way." And with that he reached his arm out and jerked his hand rapidly.

A loud cracking sound echoed throughout the night's air as Max's head swung on his neck.

Bette's eyes widened as she brought her hands to her mouth to smother her cry.

Chloe watched Max's body collapse lifelessly on the ground between Sam and Lily's corpses. Tears filled her eyes as her lips parted and closed wordlessly.

"Congratulations Miss Columbia," Azazel turned to Bette. "Miss Philippines has just dropped dead."

Bette stared up at Azazel with huge, terrified eyes. "I—I don't—."

Azazel sighed and raised his hand.

In seconds Bette lifted into the air. She grabbed at her throat and choked out, desperately gasping for oxygen.

"Stop it!" Chloe screamed. "She'll do it!"

"I don't know," Azazel mumbled. "She doesn't look too convinced."

"She's convinced!" Chloe got in between them. "Bette, tell him you're convinced! Tell him you'll do it!"

Bette tried to speak, but visibly couldn't. Instead, she nodded furiously.

"Are you sure?" Azazel asked her in amusement. "I don't want you to do anything you don't want to."

Bette continued to shake her head desperately as she slowly turned blue.

"Good!" The demon cheered as he opened his fist.

Bette immediately fell back to the ground and took in desperate gasps of air. She looked up, and would've said something, but she cried out as she gripped at her chest.

"What are you doing to her?" Chloe asked in horror.

"Nothing, she's just finally getting the energy from Maxi Pad." Azazel clasped his hands together. "As soon as she's done, it's time to open some doors." He grinned, it was all teeth. "We have some errant Hellmouth energy in need of collection."

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Dean needed Chloe here. If she could just give Cordelia some of her blood everything would be fine! But no matter how many times he kept calling everyone, anyone, no one would answer. He begged any unseen power to allow him to get in contact with them. He'd do anything - give anything - to save Cordelia's life. He just needed to be given the chance! Just a measly chance! _PLEASE! Just ONE chance!_

"Clark!" He yelled in desperation, hoping against hope that the guy was still 'keeping an ear out for him'. "Kal-El! Whoever you are! Please—!"

"My name is Kal-El," the man declared as he appeared in front of Dean. "Don't _ever_ call me Clark."

"I need you to get Chloe." Dean gripped his shirt desperately. "Please, bring her. She can save Cordelia. If she—."

Kal-El stared at him in surprise. "You don't know?"

Cold apprehension settled in Dean's gut as he let go of Angel's shirt. "What happened?"

"Chloe's disappeared." Kal took in a deep breath. "She's been taken - has been missing for a while now."

" _What_?" Dean whispered, unable to believe what he was hearing. "We talked to Buffy every couple of days. She never—."

"She didn't realize what was happening, none of us did." Kal ran his fingers through his hair. "Chloe left to stay with the Watcher Council, she thought they'd be able to keep her safe from Azazel. We expected her to be incommunicado, but I started to worry when I realized I couldn't sense her anymore, couldn't keep an ear out for her. We found out that the Watcher Council's been destroyed. We don't even know if she even got to their compound."

Dean sat down hard on the seat. "My brother was taken earlier. There was sulfur everywhere."

"Animus demon," Kal whispered. "Azazel."

Dean nodded numbly. "He must have them both." Suddenly a sound Dean had given up on hearing sounded in the night. His eyes widened as he glanced down to see his phone ringing - Buffy's name was displayed on the caller ID. He answered it immediately. "Slayer, why the hell is no one answering their—?"

"Sam and Chloe are being kept by Azazel in this town called Cold Oak in South Dakota," Buffy interrupted him. "We've been on a plane to get here, and I forgot to turn my phone back on when we landed. We're almost there. Something's bad's happening, Dean."

Kal's eyes widened, obviously having heard Buffy's words.

"We're coming," Dean announced immediately. Not only was his brother in danger, but so was Chloe. He'd help them, he'd save them, and then Chloe could come and save Cordelia.

"You're not going to be on tim—."

Dean hung up and looked at Kal. "What are we waiting—?"

In seconds the world shifted rapidly, and Kal was once more superseding them away.

Dean was never going to get used to this feeling.

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Chloe's and Bette's palms were sliced, their bloods mixing as their hands were bound together with sigil-inscribed leather. Azazel had summoned a pentagram, and as he chanted, more and more Animus demons appeared, chanting different choruses until an unholy symphony filled the air. The hellhounds began to howl, joining in the infernal song. Something called to her, something foreign yet so familiar, and then a tear ripped itself in the air in front of her. She felt it as she might feel a zipper in her clothes lowering, and it started a chain reaction as all around her and Bette tears in their reality opened up, all opening to Cold Oak, yet the differences in each reality were subtle yet there.

The only similarity in each dimension was the utter destruction and lifelessness as Hellmouth energy immediately began to seep out of their dimensions. Trees were withered away into burnt husks, the ground was charred black, and the air so polluted with endless black it looked impossible to actually breathe. That blackest of black travelled slowly out of their tears towards Chloe like dark clawed hands.

Fear filled Bette's eyes.

"Bette, look at me," Chloe whispered, hating the terror she could hear in her own tone. "It's okay. Just look at me."

Bette nodded, her lips trembling, her eyes filling with tears.

As the claws of black reached closer and closer to Chloe, she wanted to close her eyes, wanted to hide from what was about to happen, but she needed to be strong for Bette. That was the only reason she was strong enough to remain staring into Bette's eyes as the Hellmouth energy closed in around them and then pierced into her in a wave so painful she nearly passed out.

A lighter shade of black slowly curled around Bette, and she sobbed in utter terror as it encircled her like a snake. Her eyes widened and she gasped in shock as this second strain of black emerged with a snake's head and bit down on her neck.

Almost instantaneously, Bette erupted into flames.

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Dean tumbled to the ground as he was dropped. He rolled, his elbow hitting something, it hurt! The sandy blonde looked up once he'd stopped rolling, about to yell at Kal about the less than gentle landing, only to realize that Kal was battling someone. Multiple someones. If the black eyes and the smell of sulfur that filled the place had anything to say about it, these were Animus demons, and while Kal was no doubt more powerful, they had numbers.

The sound of screaming caught his attention, and he turned towards the large bonfire which lit up the night… only to realize that there were two figures deep within the blaze. Two female figures. And he recognized one of them. " _Chloe_?" He hurried towards them, to try and yank her out, but someone stepped in front of him.

"She's _fine_ ," the demon flashed yellow eyes - Azazel! "As are _you_. I can smell it all over you, the curse is fading away."

Frozen by those very words, knowing what they meant, Dean found it hard to breathe. "Shut up! She's still alive! I still have a chance! I can save her!"

"Oh, wait, you're not here for Chloe, are you?" Azazel tutted. "Her blood's not going to stop it, Dean. If your girlfriend was the sacrifice, then your father would've used the Lazarus Blade. Once someone is stabbed with that there is no coming back, the wounds will continue to reopen, to resurrect if you will. She loves you. She'll die because of it. There's nothing that can stop that once it starts. Not even I could stop that."

" _No_." He shook his head, voice hoarse in his denial. "There has to be a way. There _has_ to be!"

"I'm sorry for you," Azazel announced with surprising genuine emotion. "Losing your brother and girlfriend in one night. You have _shitty_ luck."

Dean's world came crashing down. " _My brother_?"

The demon swept his arm out, and only then did Dean see what he hadn't before.

There, lying on the ground, bathed in his own blood, was his baby brother.

"Sam?" His eyes widened as he took one step, and another, and another, towards his brother. " _SAMMY_?"

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Once the darkness and flames disappeared, Chloe and Bette stared at each other, the shock that they were still alive visible in their expression. The blonde looked around her, surprised to find the tears in the fabric of time and space completely gone. The doors to those realms were closed, and she had a feeling that all life within them was dead, that the only living thing - the Hellmouth energies which had roamed free after the deaths of the Chloe and Special Children of those realities - had left barren worlds which would never know life ever again.

The sound of fighting slowly pierced the bubble of nothingness that'd surrounded them, and Chloe turned to find Kal-El fighting a multitude of demons. She couldn't believe it. Why was he here? How had he found her?

"No! Sammy! No! PLEASE NO!"

That voice chilled her to the bone, and she turned in terror to find Dean kneeling over his brother, sobbing brokenheartedly.

"I CAN'T LOSE YOU TOO!" Dean bawled like a little broken child as he hugged his brother's dead body to his chest and hid his face in his hair. "SAMMY, PLEASE!"

 _Too_? Who else had Dean lost? _Please - don't be Cordelia! Please let him have been on time!_

"KAL!" She yelled out when he got thrown so hard against a tree it crashed with him. "STOP IT! DON'T FIGHT THEM!"

Kal stopped and looked up at her in confusion.

Azazel turned towards her in surprise as well. "You will give in? Without a fight?"

"Yes," she whispered as she stumbled to her feet and pulled Bette up with her. "But you're going to do something for me first. I have conditions. You can't force me to go, so if you want my help, you'll do what I want."

"Color me intrigued," the demon announced as he smiled and turned towards Chloe. "Name your terms."

"Sam comes back to life," Chloe responded softly, and from the corner of her eyes she saw Dean look up immediately.

"I _can't_ make another Special Child," Azazel announced in a sheepish way. "Bette's the only one now, she's consumed what made him one."

"I don't want him to be a Special Child, I want you to bring him back _without_ any of that," Chloe responded.

"He'd be useless without it," Azazel remarked in confusion. "Why would you want to bring him back for him to just be useless? I won't be able to do any of this until you're gone, so it's not like he could go with you. I won't understand why I have a bonding contract to raise him, but I'll be forced to do it anyway. You understand that he will remain on this side, right? He won't even _remember_ you or what you did for him."

"You don't have to understand," she informed him immediately. "Just bring Sam back to life. As he is. Without being a Special Child."

The demon eyed her curiously. "Okay, but I feel that's not the end of the demands. And before you say I should let Bette stay - I can't. Not even if I wanted to. And I can't save Deano's girlfriend either. As long as she loves him, she'll die."

"Wait." Dean eased his brother's body to the ground as he stood, face impassive. "What do you _mean_ Sam won't remember Chloe? He's been in love with her for as long as he's met her, he'd never forget her!"

Those words hit Chloe like a ton of bricks. Sam had been in love with her? And for so long? Oh god - how could she have been so blind? How had she never realized? She'd only recently suspected he had feelings for her, and never had it occurred to her that he'd harbored them for so long!

"Because when she crosses over into the world without magic, all memory of her will be erased from this world, and from those in it," Azazel replied. "Which is why her little condition is ridiculous."

Dean stared ahead of him unseeingly. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes before he opened them once more, his expression resolute. "I'm going too."

" _What_?" Chloe asked in horror. "No!"

"If I go to the world without magic, Cordelia will forget about me," he whispered, pain at the very thought ingrained in his voice. "And if she forgets about me, she won't love me, and if she doesn't love me—."

"She won't die," Azazel finished with wide eyes before he grinned. "Now _that_ is some next level thinking! Bravo! And here I thought you were the dumb brother!"

" _Dean_ ," Chloe's voice broke.

"You're saving Sammy and letting him live out a life that he's been cheated out of," Dean whispered as his teary hazels met her greens. "Let me do the same for Cordy."

Her lips trembled with repressed sobs. "You love her."

"You love Angel, and Sam," Dean responded softly. "And yet you're going to leave _them_."

She looked away immediately. She hadn't wanted to think about Angel. Sure, he mightn't feel the same for her anymore, but she did still love him, and the thought of never seeing him again - of him going on with his life without even remembering the times they'd shared - it tore her apart.

Dean's eyes widened. "Angel! I forgot! He was hurt badly by dad! I don't even know if he's—!"

Chloe turned to look at him in horror.

"He's fine," Kal assured them as he stepped forwards. "I got the bullets out, he's unconscious but he'll recover."

Relief speared through her, but Chloe was unable to keep a single sob from escaping her lips as she stared at her best friend. " _Kal_."

He moved to stand in front of the pentagram. "Is this something you want to do?"

"I have to do this," she responded. "Have you ever heard of the Glorified One?"

Kal's face darkened immediately. "Isn't he a myth?"

He _had_. Chloe sniffled as tears fell down her cheek. "I don't know how, but since the Hellmouth energies from the other realities entered me… I know Azazel's telling the truth. I know that if I stay here I'll end up being used to destroy this world and the people I love here." Her voice choked as she gasped in a hurried breath. "People like you and Lucy."

Kal remained resolute, but he reached out and wiped away her tears. "I won't ask you to stay. I understand duty." He took in a deep breath. "Lucy won't."

"Lucy won't remember," Chloe whispered tearfully. "None of you will."

Kal once more wiped her tears.

She leaned into the touch and smiled up at him despite her desire to break down and sob. "I love you, Kal."

The alien didn't answer, he merely leaned forwards and pressed a long, hard kiss against her forehead.

Chloe's eyes closed as more silent tears fell.

"What are your other conditions?" Azazel asked in a solemn tone.

"Sammy has to know he can't trust our father," Dean spoke rapidly. "He _has_ to."

The demon nodded he'd make sure that was so.

"We get to say our goodbyes," she responded softly. "Even if they never remember us, _we'll_ remember. We need to say goodbye to the people we love."

Azazel eyed her in silence and nodded once more.

The leather binding her and Bette together disintegrated.

Bette hugged herself. "I don't have anyone to say goodbye to. You go ahead."

Kal reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone, which he held out to Chloe. "Here."

Thanking him softly, Chloe took the phone and quickly dialed her father's number. She turned her back on the others as she listened to the dial tone.

"Hello?" her father groaned, clearly having been sleeping. "Who is this?"

"Daddy?" Chloe wiped at her tears and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry if I woke you up."

"Honey! Where are you calling me from? I don't recognize the number—are you okay? You've been incommunicado for a bit and we've started getting worried. If it wasn't for Buffy swearing you were okay we'd be calling the police!"

"I'm great dad, I'm sorry for calling so late, I just felt the need to tell you I love you and Jenny, a lot. I missed you guys." She fought the wave of sadness, and instead kept a painful smile on her face. "I love you a lot, and I'm lucky to be your daughter."

He was smiling, she could hear it in his tone. "And I you. Are you coming home soon?"

"Yeah." It hurt to smile. "Go to sleep, okay? We'll talk later."

"At a more decent hour," Gabe laughed. "Goodnight honey."

"Goodnight daddy," she barely kept from crying. "I love you." And with that she hung up.

Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed Kal spirit Dean away, but she didn't wonder where he was going. He had his own goodbyes to say.

Clearing her throat, she dialed another number and listened to the ringtone until the voicemail came on. "No, Spike, answer. _Please_." She hung up and called him again, and again, and again, but each time it went to voicemail. He was most probably somewhere passed out after drinking too much. Her heart hurt at the thought of not being able to say goodbye to Spike. She brought the phone to her forehead and couldn't keep her sobs from emerging. _I can't just abandon him like that, not him, he's been abandoned without thought so many times in the past - I can't do the same!_ That was why, even though the message would be erased, she went ahead and left one anyway.

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Dean sat down by Cordelia's side. With one hand he gripped her smaller, more delicate one, and with the other he brushed some silky brown tresses out of her face. Even on death's door Cordelia Chase was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen before, and the thought of never seeing her again felt like a stab to the heart. He'd only ever loved one woman in his whole entire life, from young he'd envisioned himself growing old next to her, but if he wanted to give her the chance to grow old and have the many fashionable grandchildren she'd always spoken about, he had to let her go. She'd loved him enough to die for him, and now he had to love her enough to live the rest of his life without her.

Tears formed in his eyes and he brushed them away angrily. "I love you Cordy, more than I even knew I could love someone." His voice choked but he cleared it. He needed to say this. She might never hear this, and she'd forget all about him, but he'd never forget her. He'd never stop loving her. "I want you to be happy." Just the thought of her being with someone else twisted inside of him like a stabbing knife, but he pushed passed it. " _I want you to be so fucking happy!_ "

Lowering his head, Dean breathed in and out, in and out, trying to control his emotions. He had to be strong. He had to do this. For Cordelia. She'd saved him in so many ways during his life, and it was his turn to save her. To be her Big Damned Hero… even if she never knew what he'd done for her. Even if she forgot who he was, that he'd ever existed. As long as she was alive and happy it would be worth it.

"Dream about me sometimes," he whispered. "It doesn't matter if you don't know it's me. Just—I'll dream of you every night." He leaned over her, taking in her face, her most beautiful countenance. "I love you, Cordelia Chase. I wish I could've married you. I wish we could've argued with each other for the rest of our lives." He sniffled, finding it hard to breathe. " _Goodbye_." He pressed a kiss upon her lips, and let his tears bathe her face before he finally stood and turned to face Kal, who'd remained in the doorway to give him some privacy. "I'm ready."

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"Sam." Chloe knelt next to his dead body, fixing his shirt, straightening it, ignoring the blood all over it. "In the end we never had our conversation." She cleared her throat. "We'll never have it now, but I still—I." She took in a deep, deep breath. "Sam, I need you to be happy. I need you to go back to school, to live a long and happy, normal life - to forget all about this messed up world that got you killed." Her hand came to rest over his unseating heart. "I need you to be happy, okay? Become a lawyer, but don't be a douchebag. Don't let it change you. Change the world instead."

She stared down into his face and closed her eyes as she leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips.

"Are you going to say goodbye to me too?" A voice accused from the darkness.

Chloe looked up and wiped her eyes, stumbling to her feet as Buffy appeared, followed by Giles, Joyce, Ted, Wesley and Faith. " _Buffy_."

"You're going to _leave_?" Buffy stormed up towards her, accusation in her tone. She'd obviously stayed in the darkness long enough to hear what was going on. "And you were just going to _give me a call_?"

"I have to go, Buffy, and I knew that if you were here—."

"That I'd tell you how idiotic you are?" Buffy snapped at her. "You're not going anywhere! You're staying here! With us!"

"No, I'm not." Chloe shook her head. "Buffy, there's an evil out there known as the Glorified One, and he—."

"The Glorified One?" Giles frowned as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "According to lore he's trapped, there's no way that he—."

"He's free," Chloe responded. "I think one of the other versions of me was researching this, because I just _know_ that he's free. And he's close to finding me. Now more than ever that all of me is together again. I have to go to the world without magic. It'll neutralize whatever's inside of me and keep him from finding me."

"What does he want with you, honey?" Joyce asked softly, motherly.

"It's like I'm a key to a door, a door that must never be opened," she realized Azazel had said something similar earlier.

"We can protect you," Faith assured her with her natural bravado. "You've got two Slayers here. No baddie can stand against _two_ of us."

"The Glorified One isn't like anyone else you have ever faced or ever would, he is immortal, _truly_ immortal," Giles whispered. "If this is the truth, if he's coming here, and he's after Chloe, she has to go."

"Giles!" Buffy cried out in betrayal.

"I don't want her to go either, Buffy!" He informed her. "But she's in danger if she stays here."

"There has to be another way." Buffy shook her head. "I'm her Slayer, okay? It's not a coincidence that we were called and brought to Sunnydale at the same time - that we shared dreams and visions. It's why I kept having visions about people who could hack her! We're connected. After she left Sunnydale I lost my way because I'm supposed to be with her! I was called to guard the Hellmouth, remember? It just wasn't the Sunnydale Hellmouth. It was _her_!"

Giles' eyes were wide.

So were Joyce's.

And Buffy's. She seemed to realize something as she breathed out. "I have to go too."

"Honey, no!" Joyce cried out.

"Buffy!" Chloe snapped at her.

"I have to." Buffy nodded to herself and looked up at Faith. "You've been taking care of things while I've been gone. You'll do fine without me."

"It'll be 5 by 5," Faith assured her, hands on her hips. "But are you sure you want to go? I mean, it seems like you'd lose your Slayer abilities. You'd be forced to be normal, human again."

Joyce's eyes widened further.

"Yes." Buffy took in a deep breath. "But I saw these things for a reason. I was brought _here_ for a reason. And that reason was to go as well. I don't know why, and I don't know how I know, but I do." She turned to her mother. "Mom, I love you. You're the best mother I could've ever hoped for. But I have to go."

"She'll forget about you, Slayer," Azazel warned. "She'll forget you were ever born."

"No I won't," Joyce whispered as she stared down at her daughter. "Because I'm going too."

Buffy gasped in utter shock. "Mom, you can't! Ted's powered by Chloe's energy! He won't survive in the other world!"

"I've already started powering down," Ted broke the silence. "It's why I was driving like such a madman. I could feel the energy leaving me. I'll shut down soon." He smiled down at Joyce and Buffy. "Your mother needs you, Buffy. You can't leave her again."

Buffy's eyes filled with tears. " _Ted_."

He smiled down at her. "Don't cry, Buffy."

"I'm not crying," Buffy's voice broke. "Wesley is."

True to form, Wesley was standing in the back of the group, eyes filled with tears as he sobbed into a hanky.

Faith stood awkwardly next to him and pretended not to notice him at all. "Don't worry, Buffy. I'll keep this world in order." She took in a deep breath. "And I'll figure a way to get your stepdad back in working order."

"Thank you." Buffy smiled at Faith for the first time ever as Joyce threw herself on Ted and hugged him, crying.

"I will have to leave everything in your hands as well," Giles sighed as he eyed the sobbing Wesley. "God help this world."

Buffy turned to him in shock. "You're coming too?"

"Chloe might be your Hellmouth, but you're _my_ Slayer," he responded in determination. "Where you go, I go."

Buffy's lips trembled as she threw herself onto him and hugged him tightly. Giles' arms wrapped around her and held her close.

Suddenly there was a gust of wind, and Kal was there with Dean. The alien turned to Chloe and took in a deep breath. "Do you want to leave a message with me for Angel? I might remember, you never know."

She tried to form words, but was unable to. In the end, Chloe realized she couldn't say goodbye. It would hurt too much. "No. It's my fault he lost his Soul and learnt to hate himself even more. I think forgetting about me, and the role I played in his life, might be the best thing for Angel."

Kal didn't answer, yet when she flung herself into his arms and hugged him tightly, he held her back so hard it hurt.

Azazel stepped forwards. "We have to do this, _now_. Everyone, get into the pentragram, quickly. Something—."

Chloe finally stepped out of Kal's embrace and turned to face the demon. "You and yours can't hurt my friends and family. None of them. Ever. That's my last condition."

The demon stared at her and then nodded as he held out his hand. "We have a deal."

Chloe stared at his hand before she placed hers in his.

His eyes flashed gold, sealing the deal.

The blonde let her hand fall from his as she stepped back into the pentagram with the others, who all crowded in with her. Her hand found Bette's and Buffy's, and that started a chain reaction as those inside joined hands. They were heading towards an unknown world, but they wouldn't be alone, they'd face whatever awaited them together.

Her gaze lingered on Sam's body. _I'm going to miss you so much Sam._

Azazel and his minions began to chant once more, and she felt the power immediately latch onto her and Bette, fueling the spell as the Animus demons began to scream.

Chloe's green eyes met Kal's.

He was the last thing she saw in this world before everything exploded in blinding light.

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 **One last bit…**


	15. Six Months Later

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

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 **SIX MONTHS LATER**

"Angel! I swear to god! If you don't pay for me to get my hair done I will stake you myself!" Cordelia Chase stomped her foot down in fury as she picked pieces of that demon Angel had had the _brilliant_ idea to explode to pieces (WHILE SHE WAS RIGHT NEXT TO IT) out of her hair. Her voice was a petulant whine as she realized what she had in her hands was part of its ear. "I just got my hair done! Angel, you have no understanding or appreciation of how hard and expensive it is to be this beautiful!"

"Alright, alright, _fine_." Angel rolled his eyes. "I'll pay for a spa day."

"Yay!" She squealed in happiness, until a finger fell out of her hair, and she whined loudly. "My life is _so gross_."

"Also, you're going to have to start using a different pseudonym when you go undercover," the vampire informed her as he searched through his contacts for their client's number. When he'd left Sunnydale he'd never expected to open up a Paranormal investigation agency (Angel Investigations), or that Cordelia Chase would somehow end up working alongside him, along with Wesley (who'd left Sunnydale as he felt Sam Zambuto could give Faith better training than he could). "You can't go as Cordelia Dean _every_ single time."

She frowned. "Why not? I _like_ that name."

"You can like other names," Angel informed her. "Why are you so pigheaded and keep using that one?"

She opened her mouth and then closed it as a little crease formed between her eyebrows. "I don't know."

"I don't know isn't a great answer," he replied. "People are going to start making connections if in each case you use that name."

"Look, don't talk to me about acting weird, okay?" Cordelia planted her hands on her hips. " _Your_ the weirdo who refuses to take off some gaudy jewelry and don't even know why! It's cursed I tell you! Cursed! If you lost it you mightn't be such a wet blanket all the time!"

Angel's fingers curled around the chain from which the claddagh ring hung from. He couldn't remember why he'd had that ring on his possession, it wasn't his, it was much too small, but try as he had, he hadn't been able to get rid of it. Instead it'd found its way to its permanent place against his unbeating heart. "It's not cursed."

"And Dean isn't a stupid last name," Cordelia insisted. "So let's agree to disagree."

"Agreed," Angel whispered as he pulled the ring up and looked at it.

His heart hurt.

He didn't know why.

His brown gaze found Cordelia staring off into the distance, a confused and pained expression on her face as well. "Cordelia?"

"Yes, Angel?" She turned to look at him once more.

"Why are you working with Wes and I?" He asked what he'd wanted to ask ever since she'd shown up on his doorstep and ordered him to give her a job.

Her lips parted and she took in a deep breath before she sighed and looked away. "I don't know. It makes me feel closer, I guess."

"To what, or who?" He asked softly.

She turned to look at him once more. " _I don't know_."

"GUYS!" Wesley stumbled into the room. "You'll never guess what happened while you were—oh my god Cordelia, you look atrocious!"

In seconds her sadness was replaced by ire. "I want that voucher for the spa _now_ , Angel!"

He sighed and nodded, a slow smile turning up the corners of his lips as he let go of the ring. "Yes ma'am."

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" _Spike, you're not going to know who this is, and you'll probably never even get this message since I wont exist anymore, but I had to try. I called you, Spike, I called you so many times, please know that I made the effort_." Spike sat in his newest lair and stared at the phone, which was on speaker, the voicemail he'd received six months ago, the one he hadn't been able to recognize the voice of - yet couldn't delete - played once more. _"I need you to know that you started out like a pain in my ass, a total annoyance, but damn it Spike, I learnt to love you so much. I wouldn't have survived those three years with Angelus and Dru if you hadn't been there with me. You got me through my darkest times, and I love you. And I don't want you to feel like you've been abandoned by someone else!_ " The girl, whoever she was, broke down crying for a bit, before she forced herself on. _"You're not going to care. You won't know who I am. You won't even get this message, but I had to leave it anyway. I love you Spike. I left because I had to. Not because I wanted to. I_ ** _have_** _to go. And by going I'll be protecting you all, and Sam's going to live again. I've made that deal. He'll live, he won't be a Special Child anymore, but that's okay, because he's going to be able to live a normal life."_

Spike glanced over at Sam Winchester, the guy he'd met when he'd gone to Sunnydale to mess with Angel some time ago. Considering Spike was usually very drunk while around his Grandsire it hadn't really bothered him that the particulars of why he and Sam were friends escaped him, but then he'd realized he had a message in his phone, and this had just confused the hell out of him - especially since Sam also had no clue who in the world this girl was.

 _"I know you felt abandoned by your mother when you changed her only for her to become someone you had to stake, by Angel when he got his soul, by Darla when Angel left, and then by Dru. But I need you to know that I didn't abandon you. I'd have asked you to come with me if it wasn't for the fact that you'd be dead where I'm going."_ There was a pause as she breathed in deeply. " _Goodbye, Spike. Take care of Kal and Lucy for me please. And take care of yourself as well. You mightn't remember me, but I'll never forget you._ "

The message ended.

"Who the bloody hell _is_ that?" Spike asked as he leaned forwards in his seat. "I feel like I should know her, but I don't."

"What I can't understand is what she meant by the fact that you'd be dead where she was going," Sam muttered to himself as he cracked his neck. "Who is this girl? Why did she save my life? Who did she make the deal with? How does she know about your family? You don't tell a lot of people… _especially_ not about Angel."

"Do you know how badly my reputation would suffer if they knew that Poofster was my Grandsire?" Spike shivered at the very thought. "And how does she know about Kal and Lucy? They're even more secretive than _you_ are."

Sam shrugged. "I only know them through you." He paused. "How do _you_ know them?"

Spike opened his mouth and then frowned when it took him a moment to remember. "We met them when Angelus lost his Soul and toured Europe with me and Dru. I think… You remember. You were there because…" Spike turned to look at Sam. "Angelus brought you along for some reason."

"Right." Sam nodded, vaguely remembering this as well. "He said he'd always wanted a pet dog."

"Exactly." Spike nodded as well. "Wait… didn't he used to keep you chained up in his room?" He narrowed his eyes on Sam. "Did anything happen between you two that I should know about?"

Sam stared at him in confusion before he choked on his saliva in sudden understanding. "NO! _No_. Nothing happened." A jolt of pain stabbed at his temples as a vague memory appeared. In it Sam stared at the back of some blonde as she rode Angelus. "He made me watch him as he fucked girls though. The asshole."

"Probably wanted you to join," Spike muttered. "He's such a Poofster. Did you know that one time he and I—." He then froze and made a face. "Right. Let's not go there. Forget I said anything. Seriously. Forget it."

The memory was quickly fading, but Sam forced himself to concentrate on it. It'd been a girl. Right? A blonde. And she'd had some sort of kanji tattoo. It'd had fang marks all over it and was bleeding.

His head killed him, but Sam fought it, concentrating on the memory of Angelus and the random blonde of the night.

Why in the world was this memory trying so hard to escape?

And why didn't he want to let it?

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"What do you _mean_?" Azazel growled out as he looked between his three most trusted. He'd known that something was going on, something had happened six months ago that had left him and many of his demons in Cold Oak not only unable to remember the last couple of hours, but they'd outnumbered the Slayer and her friends - and yet couldn't attack them. Not only that, but he'd realized there was a body there that he _had_ to bring back. Not that he wanted to. No. There was a deal in place. The thing was that Azazel didn't forget his deals. He could remember making every single one of them from the first to his last - but he couldn't remember ever agreeing to bring Sam Winchester back to life - and had no clue what in the world he'd received in exchange. But he'd been bound by the contract and so he'd brought John Winchester's only son back to life.

Things had been weird since then, but even he hadn't seen this coming.

Meg took in a deep breath. "When I found out I checked it myself. The reports are true. The Hellmouths all over the world have dried up. They're gone."

"How is that even _possible_?" Brady wanted to know. "One drying up I could maybe understand - but _all_ of them? And seemingly overnight? It should take decades for such endless source of power to disappear! Not six months!"

"Six months?" Azazel turned his gaze to the blonde. There it was again, that figure, six months.

Brady nodded. "Calius says it's as if there was a leak that sprung out, and the energies just… I don't know… spilled through the hole somewhere else. We don't know where, though because they're gone and there's no evidence of any tear or hole or leak or _whatever_ caused this!"

"What happens now?" Meg asked, uncertainty in her voice. "This has to be the reason behind why magic's weakening all around the world."

"Were the Hellmouths connected to the Wellspring? To the Seed?" Tom asked the question on Azazel's mind.

Azazel hadn't thought they were connected, he'd believed them completely separate. But this couldn't be mere coincidences. The effect hadn't been felt immediately, but now that they were they could be traced back… to six months ago.

Six months.

What the hell had happened six months ago?

 _Something_ had happened, something which had caused the Wellspring to begin to turn to tar, and the Seed to start to wither. Azazel hadn't seen the effects on the Wellspring or the Seed himself, they were in places even he could not go, but those few with access to them had relayed their worry to him in regards to their deterioration. But even if they hadn't warned him of what was occurring to the Wellspring and the Seed he would've felt the effects and known something was monumentally wrong.

What had happened

What had changed?

What could've dried up every Hellmouth - as well as wreck havoc on magic?

How ere they even connected?

Taking a deep breath, Azazel leaned back in his chair.

There were so many questions, but the biggest was:

 _Why do I have this nagging feeling that I'm forgetting something very important?_

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Kal watched Lucy as she ironed out the details with a couple of demons who wanted to hire them to steal something or the other for them. Since had no patience to deal with hagglers, Lucy always handled the neogitaions. He was more than fine with that.

The alien pulled out his phone to Chloe to complain about humans and demons alike - when he stopped. Right. Her number wasn't in his phone anymore.

According to everyone in the world, Chloe Sullivan had never even existed.

Kal wasn't sure why the spell hadn't worked on him. Maybe it was because, as an Intergalactic Traveller, his brain was hardwired differently. Maybe it was something else altogether. All he knew was that he was the only person in the world who remembered Chloe Sullivan, Dean Winchester, Buffy Summers - everyone who'd left to go to the WWM - World Without Magic.

At times like these he wondered how their lives were like over in the WWM. It also made him remember his last conversation with Azazel, it'd been as the spell was been cast. Azazel had turned his head towards Kal, and whatever he'd seen had made him chuckle. He'd then tilted his head towards Kal and said: _'Don't worry, the idea is no one can remember what she is, I've made sure of that. She'll be fine. They all will.'_

That didn't really make him feel that much better though. And every time he noticed something else which had changed because of their disappearance he couldn't help but pause in an effort to try and take it in.

Like, in his re-write, Angel had still come to Sunnydale when he had, but he'd teamed up with Sam and Cordelia. They'd managed to keep things going until Kendra and her Watcher, Sam Zambuto, had arrived in Sunnyvale. They'd learned to work together as a team until Kendra had fallen in the line of duty, and Faith had been called, along with Wesley. Angel had lost his soul due to some glitch in his curse, and he'd taken Sam and had toured Europe with him, Spike and Dru until he'd gotten his soul back and gone to Los Angeles. Wesley, who'd helped Angel get his soul back, had realized Sam Zambuto was a better Watcher, and had left Faith in his care to go work with Angel, and then Cordelia had joined soon after.

The three of them were working as a team, and Kal checked in on them sometimes because Chloe would've wanted him. They seemed happier as the months went by. Time was most probably erasing any memories of the people they'd lost, memories which might've clung to their subconscious.

Sam hadn't followed Wesley and Cordelia to work with Angel. No. Despite believing himself an only child - and not remembering his lifelong feelings for Chloe - Sam had somehow connected with Spike. Chloe had wanted to give him a second chance at life so that he could live a normal one, but Sam Winchester was doing anything _but_.

Instead of studying law, Sam was Spike's constant companion. He was also still a witch - which Kal didn't quite get. Hadn't that been a Special Child thing? If so, Sam should have lost that ability when Chloe left this world, but instead of being a normal human boy, Sam was making a name for himself in the demon world. William the Bloody and Samuel the Enchanter they were being called by the demon community. Whatever Sam had gone through, had adapted to in this re-imagining of his kidnapped days, it'd made him the person he was right now - who, to be honest, Kal quite liked. But Kal knew he had a bit of a dark side in him too, it was why he liked Angelus but didn't like Angel, so he was no one to judge others or their characters.

Talking about Sam, his buddy in crime, Spike, was still split from Dry, but did not seem too desperate to go after her. _Reminds me of when he realized he still had Chloe._ Kal wondered whether Spike had ever erased the voicemail message from Chloe which had unexpectedly remained on the vampire's phone after her disappearance.

When Spike had asked Kal if he had any idea who 'the bird in the message' was, Kal had looked into his buddy's eyes and lied. He'd told him he had no clue who in the world that was.

Chloe couldn't be remembered. It wasn't safe for her otherwise. Kal knowing was enough to make things risky, he couldn't allow anyone else to remember.

She'd made a sacrifice to protect them, and he'd honor that sacrifice.

"Let's go." Lucy grabbed his hand and led him away.

"Everything ready?"

"Of course." She flashed him a grin before it dimmed somewhat. "Are you okay? You looked sad back there."

He snorted at that and flashed her a smirk in return. She could never know the truth. "Want to go home so I can show you exactly what I was thinking?"

Her mischievous smile was all the answer he needed.

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He was quickly losing patience with his emissaries for their continued failure. He'd felt it, even if only for the briefest of minutes. It'd been here - HERE - and yet they'd arrived to find what was rightfully his gone once more. Who had dared to take from _him_? To steal from him? To continue hiding what was his?

Whenever he found out who was behind this he'd make an example out of them.

"We'll find it, oh Glorified One," the emissary remained with his forehead pressed against the ground. "Just give us a little more time!"

It'd been in this realm, this reality. He hadn't imagined it. No. He'd searched so long for what had been stolen from him… he knew its essence, he wouldn't mistake it for anything else. That was why he knew it was here - it had to be here - it was being masked, hidden, but he would not give up until he had it once more.

And this time there was nothing and no one who'd take it from him.

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 **MEANWHILE, IN THE WORLD WITHOUT MAGIC…**

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"Mom! You need to stop doing this, I'm getting fat!" Bette complained as she sat by the kitchen table. More explicitly, she sat in front of the large plate of chocolate chip cookies, a cookie in each hand, both with a piece already bitten out of it.

Joyce laughed as she turned to lean against the sink and eye the girl. "You don't _have_ to eat them _all_ you know."

"Sacrilege!" Bette cried up at her foster mother. "You don't just set a plateful of cookies in front of me and not expect me to devour them all. And you are constantly baking cookies. Or cakes. I've given up the idea of ever having a successful diet."

"You don't need to diet." Shaking her head, Joyce pushed away from the sink and joined Bette at the table. "Baking cookies helps makes the houses I show seem more homey. And it works! I got an offer on the Seagull Drive listing today."

"That's amazing! Congratulations!" Bette immediately became a mixture of excited and impressed. "Isn't that the second listing this month? You're on a roll!"

"I feel that way!" Joyce admitted as she snatched a cookie from the plate and bit into it. "We were right to come here. I was worried about everything, especially with how new and different it is to what we were used to, but it was the right choice."

Bette made a face. "You could've chosen somewhere less boring though."

"It's not _boring_ ," Joyce laughed.

"Nothing happens here, _ever_." Bette made a face. "I keep on having to talk myself out of starting a fire in school to liven things up."

"Bette." Joyce raised an eyebrow. "What have I told you about playing with your lighter?"

"Not to take it out if I"m not home, and that I can only use it to light candles," Bette replied immediately with practiced ease. "Don't worry, I'm a pyromaniac - not an arsonist." She suddenly grinned. "I did this test online that promotes that new X-men moving coming out - and it said that if I was a mutant I'd have some sort of fire ability." She reached into her jacket and pulled out her custom zippo lighter and flipped open the top before sparking a flame. "Cool, huh?"

"My daughter - the girl most likely to burn down the school gym," Joyce sighed, only half teasing.

Bette chuckled at the thought and flipped the lid shut. "Talking about reprobates, when's Buffster coming? She should be here by now."

"You know her, she loses all track of time once she's at the dojo." Joyce smiled at the thought of how Buffy had found her calling: working at a local dojo. Joyce had never liked the fact that her daughter had learnt to fight, mostly because for a time it'd seemed like that was all Buffy was doing - fighting everyone - but she'd mellowed out, and this dojo had helped tremendously. It'd given her a way to express her frustrations in a positive way, and it'd become her life. Whenever she wasn't home, or at Rupter's, she could be found at the dojo.

"Yeah, but Rupert is always on time," Bette muttered as she glanced up at the clock. "What he sees in her I have _no_ clue."

"Honey, you need to stop trying to steal your sister's boyfriend." Joyce bit into the cookie and couldn't keep the teasing smile from growing on her face. "No matter how dreamy he is."

Bette and her shared conspirator's grins and they ate their cookies in silent amusement.

It'd been hard at first for Joyce to accept Rupert Giles as her daughter's boyfriend, but she'd quickly come to realize that he helped ground Buffy. Sure, he was much older than Buffy - he was around Joyce's age for crying out loud - but she'd never seen Buffy as happy as she was with him. Joyce was just so glad that Buffy had chosen someone as respectable and established and _stable_ as Rupert Giles. It was also nice to say that her daughter was dating a college professor, and the fact that he taught mythology meant there was never a boring conversation. Plus, he gave Joyce something handsome to look at during her dry periods in between boyfriends.

Bette's phone beeped and she reached for it, scrolling as she read the message which had just arrived. "Buffy said they'll be late, and asked me to cover for her so you don't find out she used an excuse to teach Rupert 'some moves' to, you know, _teach him some moves_."

Joyce sighed. "The _things_ you two share with each other… they're not appropriate."

"What's not appropriate is the incest that went on under this roof," Bette informed her with a mischievous expression in her hazel eyes. "Or, well, not _this_ roof _solely_ , but _your_ roof. Your many roofs."

Joyce flicked a crumb at her youngest. "Hush."

"I'm just saying - things went on that taught me _all_ sorts of useful 'moves'." She then stuffed the rest of the cookie into her mouth, yet it couldn't stifle the evil little chuckle she let out.

"Will you stop calling it incest?" Dean's voice sounded behind them. "I am in no way blood related to you people."

Joyce turned towards him and smiled, arms wide. "Honey! When did you get back in?" She hugged him tightly when he was in arms' reach. "I've missed you so much!"

"Mom, I was gone for three days. Two nights. Not even three whole nights." Dean rolled his eyes yet chuckled as he allowed himself to be hugged and a crumb-covered kiss pressed to his cheek. "Chocolate chips? Hmmm. You must've had a listing today."

"She got an offer on Seagull," Bette informed him.

"Congrats! The commission on that place must be huge!" Dean hugged Joyce once more and gave her a little twirl.

"We'll be dining on lobster from now on," Joyce chuckled once she was finally put down by her step-son. He was all that remained of her second husband, and even though he looked so much like his father, and that could hurt at times, she'd missed him so fiercely. Dean hadn't been the happiest when his father had married Joyce, and he'd gotten three step-sisters, but he'd quickly warmed up to them, and after John's passing, had taken over the role of man of the house. A role which couldn't have been easy for him at that age, but he'd done Joyce and the girls proud.

"Don't let _You Know Who_ hear that," Bette snickered. "She'll get arrested again."

"Will you stop referring to me as if I'm Voldemort?" Another voice asked as Chloe entered the room, eyebrow raised. "I liberated captured lobsters from a grocery store. That's clearly a Hermione move."

"No one in this house is Hermione," Bette informed her. "We're all Slytherins. Mom's the only Hufflepuff here."

"What does that mean, exactly?" Joyce wanted to know.

"It's a good thing," Bette reassured her.

Chloe rolled her eyes yet smiled as she turned to Dean. "Where's my hug?"

"The women in this family are _so needy_ ," Dean teased as he wrapped her in his arms and twirled her around similarly to how he had Joyce. "Now you're going to say how much you missed me too."

She snorted when he put her down. "Are you joking? I enjoyed every second of it. When are you going away again?"

Dean's lips parted in mock hurt as he turned to Joyce. "Mom. Punish her."

Joyce wagged her finger at Chloe. "Young lady, be nice to him. You know he's terrified of flying."

"He wet his pants once when there was turbulence," Bette chimed up.

"That was _7up_ and you _know_ it!" Dean announced in horror.

"Sure thing, Tiger." Bette winked.

"When's Rupert coming?" Dean wanted to know with a frown. "I keep getting ganged up on by you women all the time. This is sexist and discriminatory. I'm going to my room." With that he mock stormed out of there, yanking Chloe's ponytail playfully on his way out.

Bette waited until she heard his footsteps ascending the stairs before she chuckled and rubbed her crumb-filled hands together. "Just wait - shhh - wait till he gets in his room and sees it."

Joyce groaned. "What did you do?"

"I left him adult diapers _everywhere_ , you know, in case he 'hit turbulence' and spilt 7up all over himself again," she replied innocently.

Upstairs they could hear: "BETTE!"

Bette held her sides as she laughed.

"You _know_ that was 7 UP." Chloe was visibly trying to be stern, but her voice was full of repressed laughter.

" _Duh_!" Bette rolled her eyes. "But I have _so little_ on him that I have to milk what I _do_ have."

"How did you turn out so evil?" Chloe asked in obvious awe.

"Don't be impressed by her," Joyce ordered her other foster daughter. "It'll only egg her on."

Bette was visibly unrepentant as she continued to giggle. "You should probably go up before he discovers the rain jacket and boots I put in his bathroom with a note saying 'in case of turbule—."

" **BETTE**!" Dean could be heard yelling from upstairs. "IT WAS 7 UP! BETTE! IT WAS **7 UP**!"

Chloe groaned. "He's going to be sulking all night now."

"Not if you bully him into behaving," Bette declared with an innocent smile. "Or, if you're feeling extra guilty for enjoying his pain so much, just let him yank on your pony tail a couple of times and he'll be in a good mood in no time. You know how much he loves pulling your hair."

Chloe turned to Joyce. "Where did you go wrong with her?"

"I don't know," Joyce responded with a smile.

Bette grinned at them both. "I am a product of my upbringing. What I am, you all have made me."

Chloe snorted. "I wash my hands clean of you. I already have one brat to deal with, thank you very much."

Bette chuckled as she watched Chloe walk right back out of the kitchen. "I love you too, sis!" She listened for Chloe's steps up the stairs, and then turned to Joyce. "So, I've been thinking. You need to date again."

Joyce blinked at the surprising change of topic. "Excuse me?"

"Buffy's dad was _bleh_." Bette had only met him once but she'd cultivated a very ardent disgust for Joyce's ex. "And dad - Dean's dad - he's been dead for six years now. You've raised us all amazingly, and, uh, we're all basically grown up, and it's something we've talked about when you're not around. We want you to be happy." She cleared her throat, "Which is why I've signed you up for a couple of dating sites…. and you have your first date next Tuesday with an accountant named _Bill_."

Joyce stared wordlessly at her youngest.

"Don't worry, he's got kids of his own, likes dogs, and _might_ like lighting fireworks."

"This is about us not letting you near fireworks, isn't it?" Joyce guessed.

"Of course not! He seems great!" Bette then grinned. "And, well, the fireworks are a bonus. I'll send you all the information you need before the date. And I'm taking you out shopping."

Joyce just stared at her daughter and couldn't help her laughter as it tumbled off of her lips.

Six years ago, as a newly widowed mother of four, she'd hesitated when she'd received the job offer. Her family had gone through so much change; she'd been scared that uprooting them and taking them somewhere else would only make things worse, and yet now, as she looked back at it, she realized it was the best decision she could've made. Buffy had learnt to let go of her anger towards her father and channel it into a career which she now loved. Dean had been able to start again in a place that didn't remind him of the father he'd just lost. Chloe and Bette, the two girls Joyce and John had fostered, had flourished in the new home. All in all, this was home, and they were all happy.

Smiling, Joyce let out a contented sigh.

Yes, moving to Sunnydale, California, had been the best decision she could've ever made, and she'd never regret it.

Sometimes she had nightmares though. Ever since they'd moved to Sunnydale Joyce had reoccurring nightmares where vampires, werewolves, demons and all sorts of evils threatened her family. She dreamt of Slayers, of Hellmouths, of Special Children. She dreamt of her family apart. Those nightmares terrified her, and she'd wake up and go to visit her children's rooms one by one, watching them as they slept, making sure they were alive, they were safe, and they were under her roof. How she'd relax where Buffy was concerned once her daughter eventually moved out to live with Rupert was a question that still bothered her, but she'd cross that bridge whenever she came to it.

Those were nightmares, they weren't real, they were the figments of her fears manifested in dream form.

Upstairs they heard Chloe's shrieked laughter, followed by Dean's lower, throaty chuckles. From what Joyce could tell, Dean must be tickling the blonde because she was begging for mercy, and the girl only ever made those sounds when Dean used just how ticklish she was against her.

Those sounds were enough to help yank Joyce out of her thoughts and ground her in the present, in reality.

The nightmares weren't real.

This life was real.

And this life was good.

"You okay, mom?" Bette asked curiously.

Joyce nodded and smiled as she glanced out of the window and saw a car pull up outside, Rupert and Buffy smiling besottedly at each other in the front seats. "Yes honey," she whispered in contentment. "Couldn't be better."

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 **The End of SuperSlayerVille Season Three.**


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